The fill-in boyfriend
by parrillaismybae
Summary: When Regina's boyfriend, Daniel, dumps her in the parking lot of her high school prom, she decides to do the unthinkable. Convince the cute guy waiting to pick up his sister to pretend to be her boyfriend for the night. Will Regina turn her fake boyfriend into a real one without exposing her lie and possibly destroying her friendships and her newfound relationship? -Outlaw Queen AU
1. Chapter 1

_**Hello!**_

 _ **Well, to start this, Kasie West is the original author of this story. I just read it and seemed like a good idea share it with all of you. I'll change the names of the characters of course and some other things. So, the credits are to Kasie, not for me.**_

 _ **Oh! And English is not my native language; even I'm still learning English. So, if I write something wrong, sorry.**_

 _ **Let's do this!**_

 **Chapter 1**

In some part of my brain, probably the logical part that seemed to be missing at the moment, I knew I should let go and walk away, maintain some of my dignity. Instead, I gripped his waist more securely by wrapping my arms around him and pressed my cheek against his chest. Logic was definitely not ruling my brain right now. Desperation was. And even though I knew desperation wasn't attractive, I couldn't help myself.

He sighed, releasing some air, which allowed me to tighten my hold even more. _Isn't that how boa constrictors kill their prey?_ Not even this thought made me let go.

"Regina, I'm sorry."

"Then don't do this. And if you have to, can't it wait two hours?"

"The fact that you said that makes me know it can't. You only care about your friends seeing me."

"That's not true." Okay, so it was kind of true. But only because of Zelena. She'd infiltrated our group a year ago and ever so slowly tried to turn my best friends against me. Her latest claim was that I'd been lying about having a boyfriend for the last two months. So yes, I wanted my friends to see that I had not been lying. That it was she who was trying to divide our group in half. She who was at least one quarter evil. Not me.

That wasn't the only reason I'd wanted Daniel to come tonight. I had really liked him before he decided to break up with me in the parking lot at prom. But now that he'd pulled out the jerk card, I just needed him to walk inside, prove that he existed, maybe punch Zelena in the gut for me, and then walk out. Was that too much to ask? Plus, hello, this was my senior prom. He was _really_ going to make me walk alone into my senior prom, where I would possibly be crowned royalty tonight?

"That's not all I care about…" My voice cracked even though I was trying not to show weakness. Well, aside from the whole clinging-to-him-like-a-static-filled-sock thing.

"It's all you care about and you confirmed it tonight when you saw me and the first thing you said was 'My friends are going to die.' Really, Regina? That's the first thing you say when you see me after two weeks?"

My mind raced back. Was that really what I had said or was he making things up now to try to make himself feel better? He did look really good. And yes, I did want my friends to see just how good he looked. Could be blame me for that?

"And the whole way over here you were trying to plan how we were going to walk in. You told me exactly how to look at you."

"So I'm slightly controlling. You knew that about me."

"Slightly?"

A car pulled into the empty space across from where I was squeezing the life out of my boyfriend… my ex-boyfriend. A couple climbed out of the backseat. I didn't recognize either of them.

"Regina." Daniel pried my hands apart and stepped back. "I have to go. It's a long drive home."

He did at least look sincerely sorry.

I crossed my arms, finally finding a little dignity far too late. "Fine. Go."

"You should go inside anyway. You look amazing."

"Can you just cuss me out and walk away or something? I don't need to think you're sweet after all this." He _was_ sweet and the thought that my desperation to keep him here was about more than just my friends was battling to take over my emotions. I pushed it back. I did not want him to know he'd really hurt me.

He smiled his playful smile then raised his voice. "I never want to talk to you again. You're a shallow, self-centered snob and you deserve to walk in there alone!"

Why did that sounds so convincing? I kept up our little charade. "I hate you, jerk!"

He blew me a kiss and I smiled. I watched him until he got in the car and left. My smile slipped off my face as my stomach tightened. Guess he was assuming I'd find a ride home. Thank goodness all my friends were inside… waiting for me to show up with the guy I'd bragged about for the last two months. I growled, trying to turn my hurt into anger, and leaned up against the tailgate of a red truck. That's when I caught the eye of a guy sitting in the driver's seat of the car across from me. I quickly straightened up from my slumped position —not even a stranger got to see me looking weak—and he dropped his gaze.

What was some guy doing sitting in his car? He lifted a book and began to read. He was reading? Sitting in the parking lot at prom and reading? Then it hit me: the couple that had climbed out of the backseat. He was dropping someone off. A younger sister or brother, maybe.

I assessed him while he read. I couldn't see much but he wasn't bad to look at. Brown hair, white skin. He could've even been tall—his head was higher than the headrest—but it was hard to tell. He wasn't my type at all, but he'd have to do. I walked to his window. He was reading some biography book or something about the world in eighty days. I tapped on his window and he slowly looked up. It took him even longer to roll down the window.

"Hi." I said.

"Hey."

"Do you go here?" If he went to school here and I just hadn't met him before, this wouldn't work. Because odds were people would know him.

"What?"

"Do you go to school here?"

"No. We just moved here, but I'm finishing out the year at my old school."

Even better. They were new to the area. "You're here dropping off your brother?"

"Sister."

"Perfect."

He raised his eyebrows.

"You get to be my date."

"Uh…" His mouth opened but that's all that came out.

"Do you live close? Because you can't go in there in jeans and a T-shirt. Especially one with a telephone booth on it."

His eyes flickered to his shirt and then back to me. "A telephone booth? Seriously?"

"Do you at least have some dark pants and a button-down shirt? Maybe a tie? A teal tie would be awesome to match me but I'm not holding my breath about that." I tilted my head. He really didn't look like my type. My friends would know this. "And do you happen to own contacts and some hair product?"

"I'm just going to roll up my window now."

"No. Please." I put my hand on top. Had I ever had a night where I felt so desperate? "My boyfriend just broke up with me. I'm sure you saw. And I really don't want to walk into my senior prom alone. Plus my friends didn't think he existed. Long story, but I need you to be him. Two hours. That's all I'm asking for. Besides, you're just sitting here anyway waiting for your sister." Crap. His sister. Was she going to yell his name across the gym and ruin this for me? We'd just have to avoid her. Or let her in on the secret. I hadn't decided yet. "It will be way more fun than sitting in a parking lot."

He was still looking at me like I was crazy. I felt crazy. "You want me to pretend to be Captain America?" He pointed toward the street.

I was confused at first but then realized that's what he was calling Daniel, whose build was on the beefy side. "They've never met him, so they have no idea what he looks like. Besides you're…" I gestured toward him without finishing the sentence. I tried to think of a different superhero to compare him to but nothing came to mind. I wasn't well versed in superheroes. Were there some who were on the thinner side? Spiderman? That didn't seem like a compliment.

He just sat there, staring at me, waiting for me to finish the sentence.

"I can pay you."

He raised his eyebrows. "I'm sure there are services for that. Maybe you can try calling 1-800-HOOKERS or something?"

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the smile that came with it. "You know that number well?"

He let out a single laugh.

"Fine. If you feel weird about taking money. I'll owe you."

"Owe me what?"

"I don't know… If you're ever in need of a fake date, I'll be there for you."

"I'm not exactly in the habit of requiring fake dates."

"Well fine. I'm glad you can get a real date whenever you want, but I can't. Well, I mean, I usually can, but obviously not right now in the middle of an empty parking lot." Was I going to have to pull out some fake tears to get me a fake date?

"Fine."

"Fine?" I was surprised even though I'd really hoped he'd say yes.

"Yes. I live six blocks from here. I'll go change into something more prom worthy." He rolled up the window while muttering something about how he didn't believe he was going along with this. Then he drove away.

I stood there for five minutes wondering if that was just his way of getting out of this whole thing. He probably texted his sister and told her just to call when she needed a ride home. And if he only lived six blocks away, why was he waiting in the parking lot anyway? Shouldn't he have driven home and waited there?

I pulled out my phone and checked Instagram and Twitter to make sure Daniel hadn't said anything about our breakup. There was nothing. It didn't surprise me; Daniel wasn't online that much. Another reason Zelena thought I'd made him up. I sent off a tweet about how prom was going to rock and then tucked my phone back into my clutch that matched my dress perfectly.

Another ten minutes passed and I was sure he wasn't coming back now. I started thinking of all the excuses I was going to give my friends when I got inside. He got sick. He had to study for finals for his college classes on Monday…because he's in college.

I sighed. This was pathetic. The truth. I needed to tell the truth. He broke up with me in the parking lot. My eyes stung with tears over that thought. Daniel broke up with me in a parking lot. I'd screwed up and lost him and now I might lose more than just him. Would this be the final piece of evidence my friends needed to believe the claims Zelena had made? I knew the look I'd get from Zelena right away when I told the truth. It would be the yeah-right-he-doesn't-exist look. The look she gave me every time I mentioned Daniel. It was the look that always made me tell more stories. Too bad I'd told so many that even my other friends had started to question his existence.

We'd met in a café at UCLA when we were there for a film festival my older brother was involved with. Alone in the café, Daniel had thought I was a student there. I didn't correct him because I was actually going to be a student there next year. I'd just gotten my early acceptance that very weekend so I had been feeling quite collegiate. We'd exchanged phone numbers and texted for a while. And what started off as mere attraction became more. He told stupid jokes and knew so much about so many places from all his traveling. He was interesting. A couple of weeks later, I came clean about my age. By that time, we liked each other. The main problem was that I lived three hours from UCLA. So he'd only come up a couple of times in the two months we'd been dating and hadn't met my friends. And now, it was over.

I threw back my shoulders and faced the gym doors. I didn't need a date, real or otherwise. My friends liked me regardless of who I was or wasn't with. Even as I thought it, I wished for it to be true. I couldn't lose my boyfriend and my friends all in one night. I needed them in my life. As I started to walk, headlights cast my shadow on the asphalt in front of me. I turned as the car and lights went off.

The guy stepped out. "Were you going to go in there without me after all that begging?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

I smiled. I couldn't help it. He was actually wearing a suit—black, with a light gray tie. He was tall.

This was exactly what I needed. We'd be seen. He could break up with me at the end of the night. No smug looks from Zelena, no pity sighs from Emma, and no just-tell-the-truth head tilts from Mary Margaret. And it would be close to the truth. My fill-in guy was just rearranging tonight's order of events for me a little. There was no harm in that. Especially if it kept the quarter-evil Zelena at bay.

"Hi," I said, approaching his car, where he still stood by the open door as if he hadn't completely committed to this idea yet. "You look great." My eyes went to his hair that I could see better now that I was closer. It was a mess. A mess that he had tried to tame, it seemed.

"Sit for a sec." I pointed to the seat of his car. He raised an eyebrow but obeyed. I fished out a small comb from my clutch and used it to style his hair. When it was off his forehead and shaped nicely I gave a satisfied nod. "You clean up well."

He let out a sigh. "Let's get this over with."

He stood and offered me an elbow. I grabbed his hand instead and pulled him toward the gym.

"Whoa. Hold on there," he said, my body jerking to a halt, which wasn't very fun in my heels. "I need a little backstory here. You are trying to convince your friends we actually know each other, yes?"

"Oh, right. Let's see."

"A name would be a good start."

I laughed. I hadn't even told him my name. "I'm Regina Mills. Seventeen. Senior here at lovely Freemont High. I'm on the student council and don't usually have to beg for dates. As in, I never have before today."

"Noted."

"And for the next two hours you are Daniel. Junior at UCLA, which is why my parents disapprove, by the way. They think you're way too old for me."

"I am," he said.

I wasn't sure if he was talking about Daniel or himself. I thought he had implied earlier that he was in high school. "How old are you?"

"If I'm a junior that would make me at least, what? Twenty-one?"

He was talking about Daniel. I rolled my eyes. "Yes. But that's only four years older than me."

"Which wouldn't be the end of the world if you weren't still in high school. And underage."

"I'm only in high school for five more weeks and you sound like my parents now."

He shrugged. "They sound like good parents."

"Well, it doesn't matter anymore. At the end of the night you get to break up with me. In front of my friends, preferably. Try not to make a big show of it. Quickly and quietly. Then, like the real Daniel, you can walk away forever and this will be over." A lump formed in my throat as I said that, as I pictured Daniel walking away from me as if it was the easiest thing in the world to do. I pushed the image away and offered him a smile.

"I can handle that."

"Good. So what about your sister? Is she going to give us trouble in there? Run across the gym screaming your name?"

"No. My sister will not expect me to be in there, looking like this. And she's really into her date. But if I see her coming, I'll make sure to head her off and fill her in. She's cool. She'll play along."

"Why don't you text her? Just in case."

"I would, but in my quick change, I forgot my phone." He patted his pockets to show me he was serious.

"She'll be cool?"

"She'll be cool."

"Okay, I think we're set, then."

He smirked at me like I was missing something obvious.

"What?"

"Nothing. Let's go." He had a slow, confident step as he walked with me to the gym. He didn't even seem to mind holding my hand.

Just inside the door I handed over to the teacher behind the table the tickets I had purchased for Daniel and me and we continued into the main room. The music was loud—a live band—and not very good. The band was the winner of the auditions we had held for this event, so they were the best of the worst. Last year we had hired a popular local band, but with "more affordable" ticket prices, Mr. Gold said we didn't have the budget for it this year.

I saw my friends and their dates across the room, standing around a high table. I closed my eyes for a moment and channeled every ounce of acting ability I had in my body, which wasn't very much but would have to do. Beside me, my fill-in date didn't even seem nervous. Of course he wasn't—he had nothing to lose.

"My sister is dancing, so I think we're good for now," he said.

I followed his gaze to a girl dressed in blue—the skirt of the dress full of puffy layers. She was cute—long blonde hair, friendly face. I'd never seen her before in my life so she must've been younger than me. Although he had said they just moved here, so maybe they'd moved here very recently. I didn't recognize her date either, though, so I went back to the younger theory.

"Okay. So, will you try to look at me like you're madly in love?"

"Captain America and you were madly in love?"

I opened my mouth—my first instinct was to say "of course"—but stopped myself because it wasn't true. Daniel and I were . . . Well, we were happy. At least I'd thought we were before tonight. I put on my best teasing smile, glad that my feelings, which had tried to take over in the parking lot, were back in my control. "Do you not have a reference point for that emotion?"

He concentrated for a moment then turned a smoldering gaze on me. Wow. He was good.

"That may be a little thick."

He softened the intensity of his gaze and for the first time I noticed his eyes were blue. Not good. Daniel had blue eyes too, just a little less intense.

"That bad, huh?"

"No. Your look is great." Meaning he did know what being in love felt like. I was the one without a reference point. "Your eye color is frustrating."

"I've never been told that before. Thanks."

"I'm sorry. I'm sure girls tell you that they're dreamy or whatever." And they were. "It's just . . ."

"Daniel has emerald green? No, melty chocolate brown?"

I laughed because he had grabbed his chest and said it in a melodramatic voice. "No, he had bright eyes."

He met my eyes. "Like yours."

"Well, his are blue like yours, but . . ." I shook my head, trying to get back on subject. "Just try not to make eye contact with anyone."

"Because that won't be creepy. You think your friends remember the eye color of a guy they've never met? Did you really talk about his eyes that much?"

"No. I mean, well, they've seen a few pictures."

"They've seen pictures?" His eyes widened. "And you think we're going to get away with this how?"

"Well, they were from a distance. And one was of half his face." Much to my frustration, he wasn't a fan of having his picture taken. "It's been a while since they've seen them. I think you look similar enough that it will work. But work on the non-creepy version of the no-eye-contact thing."

He took my hand in his, kissed it, gave me his smoldering stare, and said, "Well, I only have eyes for you anyway."

He was really good. I laughed. "I see my friends. Let's go."

"Why didn't your friends think I existed if they've seen pics?" he asked as we made our way through dancing bodies.

"Because you went to UCLA and I was usually the one visiting you. When you did come up here, you wanted to spend our time together, not with my friends."

"So I'm a snob. Got it."

"I didn't say that."

"When you came to visit me, did we hang out with my friends?"

"No. We rarely saw each other. We didn't want to have to deal with other people when we did."

"Okay, so you were my secret."

"No, it's how I wanted it too. And besides, you just drove three hours to come to my prom, so you were obviously planning on meeting all my friends." It was weirding me out that we were talking like he really was Daniel. I shook my head. "He was planning to meet my friends."

"And yet he broke up with you in the parking lot before he actually did."

I bit the inside of my cheek. Ten more steps and we'd reach the group, so I couldn't explain to him that I had treated Daniel poorly. That the first thing I'd said to him after not having seen him for two weeks was that my friends were going to die. It was because he'd looked so amazing. But I should've said that instead. I shouldn't have worried what my friends were going to think. It was hard not to, though, when I'd spent two months fielding questions about his existence, two months telling them all about him. All because of Zelena. I shouldn't have let her get to me like I did.

Mary Margaret noticed me first and her eyes seemed to light up in relief when she saw my date. We were the closest, so she was always the one defending me. "Regina!" At her exclamation everyone else turned around.

The look from Zelena was priceless. It was a smug smile followed by a slight drop of her jaw. And for once, Emma didn't have the pity face. I smiled a huge smile.

"Everyone, this is Daniel."

He raised his hand in a small wave and I didn't know if it was to be funny or if it was unintentional, but when he said "Nice to meet you all," his voice was low and husky.

Mary Margaret widened her eyes at me like way-to-go-Regina was written in them.

Zelena got her inner snob back quickly as she looked him up and down. I held my breath, waiting for her to say he looked nothing like his pictures or nothing like the guys I normally dated. Instead she said, "I'm surprised you wanted to come to a high school prom."

He looked me straight in the eyes and slipped his arm down my back, hooking me around the waist. "It was important to Regina." With the words he pulled me against his side. My back tingled with his touch. My first instinct was to yank away, but that wouldn't have been my reaction to Daniel. I would've leaned into him. I would've sighed happily. I made myself do both.

Zelena smirked. "Is that the theme of your relationship? 'The importance of Regina'?" She actually did air quotes.

Tom, Zelena's date, laughed but then stopped quickly when another one of the guys smacked him on the back.

"No," my date said before I had a chance to respond. "But maybe it should be."

With this, they all laughed. I was too busy glaring at Zelena to laugh.

"We're going to dance," my date said. And as he led me to the dance floor, it hit me that I didn't know his real name. Was that what the smirk was all about when we were walking toward the gym? So when the-guy-whose-name-I-didn't-know put his arms around me, I leaned my forehead against his chest and whispered, "Sorry."

"What are you sorry for?" fill-in Daniel asked.

"I don't even know your real name."

He laughed a low chuckle that I could feel through his chest. Then he leaned down so his breath tickled my ear when he said, "My name is Daniel."

I looked up with a gasp. "Really?"

He shook his head no. "I'm a method actor. I have to become a person."

"Are you an actor?" It wouldn't have surprised me. He was obviously really good at it.

He looked up, thinking. "You didn't tell me that about myself. Am I?"

I hit his chest with a laugh. "Stop."

He glanced over my shoulder, toward where my friends were still standing. "Nice friends you got there."

"They're mostly nice. Zelena is just constantly trying to oust me."

"Why?"

"I have no idea. I think she thinks I'm the alpha of our pack and that there is only room for one without resorting to cannibalism."

"I'm going to take your weird wolf analogy and assume you mean that she wants to be the leader of your group."

I shrugged and watched across the room as Zelena hooked her arm through Mary Margaret's and said something to her. "It's the only thing I can think of. She's the main reason I needed you here tonight. She thinks I've been lying. I didn't want to give her ammo. She already finds enough without me handing her some on a silver platter."

He raised his eyebrows—he liked to do that, I was already learning. "So if she finds out you've been lying…?"

"Yes. I get it. That's exactly what I'm now doing and wasn't doing before. But she thinks I was. And if I walked in here without you, I would've been gone."

"You don't trust that your other friends like you enough not to let her do that?"

"They like me. But for two months she's been working on this. She really thought she had something on me. She thought I was hiding something. I needed tonight."

"So if you really are the alpha, why aren't you the one kicking her out?"

I'd thought about that question a lot. The main answer was that I really didn't think I was in charge, as much as Zelena thought I was. But the other answer, the one I admitted only on my darkest nights, was that I was worried if I made everyone pick, they'd choose her. I was worried that no matter how much confidence I'd shown on the outside, deep down people didn't like me. And that maybe they were right not to. I was not going to tell him that, though. He'd already seen enough weakness tonight. "Because I'm only an eighth evil."

"What?"

"I sometimes call Zelena a quarter evil. But that's the thing…I guess I don't want to be that girl. The one who needs to kick someone out of a group. I've been hoping we can work it out, sign a peace treaty, find neutral ground, I don't know." And regardless of the other reasons I was scared to cause trouble, these reasons were true too. I just wanted us all to get along.

"You like analogies, don't you?"

"Yes, I do. Words are powerful."

He tilted his head as if intrigued by that answer. "So, I still don't get it. If they've seen pictures of him, why don't they believe he existed?"

I gave a humorless laugh. "Because there aren't enough of them. But it's not like we were together a lot to take pictures. We have…had…a long-distance relationship. So Zelena thinks I asked some random guy off the street to pose with me."

He laughed. "I don't know why she'd ever think that."

My cheeks flushed red and I looked at the ground. "Yeah. Yeah." It was pretty pathetic that I had to bring in a fake date tonight. A date I wouldn't have had to bring in if my very real boyfriend hadn't broken up with me.

"Are you okay? Upset about the whole Captain America thing?"

I took a breath in through my nose, making sure my voice didn't sound wobbly when I said, "Nope. I'll be fine. We obviously weren't that serious. It was a short, long-distance relationship. Nothing big." I wasn't sure if I was trying to convince him or me with that speech.

He was quiet for so long that I looked up to see if he was still listening. His eyes were on me, searching for something I wasn't sure I possessed. The song ended and a fast one took its place. I took a quick step back. "So. Your real name is?"

"We can't afford any slipups tonight, right? As far as you know, my real name is Daniel." Finally he looked away and I could breathe again. He extended his hand to me and when I took it, he spun me around once then pulled me back into his arms, swaying with the beat.

"You're not half bad at this," I said.

"At what? The acting or the dancing?"

"Well, both, but I was talking about the dancing."

"It's because you're the fifth girl who's asked me to fill in for her date at prom. It's forced me to brush up on my dancing skills."

"Whatever."

"So, Regina Mills."

"Yes, nameless boy?"

He gave a breathy laugh. "I don't believe you offered me money for this. Do you go around offering people money for random services often?"

"No, usually my smile gets me what I want." I had actually been a little surprised he was so hard to talk out of that car.

"What kinds of things has it gotten you so far?"

"Besides you in a suit?"

He looked down at his clothes as if my mention of the suit reminded him he was wearing it. "This wasn't because of your smile."

"Then why?" I was very curious. He had gone from trying to roll up his window to agreeing to be my date in a single breath, it seemed.

"Regina!" I turned toward my name and a girl with long blond hair waved at me. "I voted for you!" She pointed up toward the stage where a sparkly tiara sat on a stool, waiting for its wearer. I smiled at her and mouthed thank you. When I looked back at my date, his eyes sparkled with amusement.

"What?"

"I didn't realize I was dancing with royalty."

"No one has been crowned yet, so that statement is completely premature."

"Who was that?" He gestured back toward the blond girl.

"She's in my history class."

He took my arm in his and said, "Guess we better get back to your friends."

The others had moved to an open table with chairs and were sitting around talking about leaving early and doing something more exciting. It was the "more exciting" part they were all trying to agree on. I glanced back up at the stage, knowing I couldn't leave until the royalty was announced. Zelena didn't care about that, though. That's probably why she wanted to leave early. She was bitter she hadn't gotten nominated. It wasn't something she admitted out loud—that would be too obvious—but I saw her lip curl every time someone brought it up.

Emma whispered, "Sorry," when I reached her side. I wasn't sure what she was sorry about…maybe the months of not believing me about Daniel? I slid around the back side of the table, still holding tightly to my date's hand, and we sat down facing the dance floor.

Zelena stood and held up her phone. "Everyone get closer together, I want to take a picture." We did, and when she got to three, I felt my fake date move behind me a little more, probably using my head to block his face. Zelena studied the picture but didn't ask for a retake. Then she turned her attention to fill-in Daniel. "So, what do college guys do for fun? Aside from pick up high school girls, that is."

He didn't flinch at all from the comment. Probably because it didn't really apply to him. "Well, Regina and I are going to a party after this, but it's invite only so that's not very helpful, I guess. Is there an arcade or something you could all go to?" He said this all in the nicest tone so it almost seemed like he was trying to be polite. But he squeezed my knee under the table and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. I could've hugged him for saying that to her. "I don't live around here, so I'm not sure what there is to do."

I swear Zelena was like a bloodhound, her senses perking up at the first drop of blood. She should be a detective when she grows up because she picks up on the slightest inconsistency of any story. "But if you don't live around here, how did you get invited to a party here?"

Fill-in Daniel was just as quick with his response. "Who said the party was around here?" Then it was like a battle of wills because they both stared at each other. Zelena looked away first and I took a small sip of air in relief. I just needed to get through tonight. If she was already sniffing around for trouble, she was bound to figure out that the guy sitting next to me wasn't who I claimed he was.

My date must've seen the worry on my face because he leaned in close with that I'm-in-love look I'd told him to give me and brushed his lips softly against my cheek. My throat tightened. He was a really good actor.

"Don't look so worried," he whispered. "You'll give us away." He tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. "Now giggle like I said something funny."

I did. It wasn't hard to do, but that's when I saw something on the dance floor that stopped my giddy laugh in my throat. His sister. Staring straight at us.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hey! Thanks for all the comments on Twitter and here about the story. Hope you're enjoying!**_

 _ **Keep reading :***_

—

 **Chapter 3**

Her eyes squinted in confusion and then she said something to the guy standing next to her. He looked as well then nodded his agreement. With that, they both headed our way.

"Incoming," I whispered.

Fill-in Daniel's gaze followed mine and he smiled like it was no big deal. "I'll take care of this." He stood. I wondered if I should follow him or just sit here and watch. I went with the sit-here-and-watch option.

When he reached his sister she spoke first, pointing at his clothes. He said something back. Then her head whipped to me, a look of anger there. So much for being cool about this.

"What's going on?" Zelena hissed. Of course she was the first one to notice. This was all about to blow up in my face. I knew it. I probably deserved it too. I'd done something stupid and it hadn't lasted for more than an hour. I should've just come clean right away: Daniel broke up with me. Emma and Mary Margaret would've understood. They would've believed me. They probably would've even taken me to drown my sorrows in ice cream like we did with Emma when she got dumped last year. But I was being insecure.

I stood, looked at Zelena, and said, "Something I'm sure you're going to be very happy about." I didn't wait to see her reaction. I just walked to where he was trying to direct his sister away.

"Come on, let's talk about it out here," I heard him say as I approached.

When I reached them she turned on me, her hands on her hips. Something about that look seemed vaguely familiar.

"No," she said. "You do not get to use my brother like this. He's a nice guy and has been hurt by way too many self-serving girls like you in the past."

"Let's not exaggerate, Ashley. It was just the one."

"I'm sorry," I said, responding to his sister but looking at him. "I didn't mean to turn this into a big deal." I faced her. "You're right. I shouldn't have used your brother like this. He is a nice guy."

She nodded once as though surprised I agreed with her so fast. "Yes he is and he doesn't need to deal with someone like you."

"Don't generalize, Ashley. You don't even know Regina."

Ashley laughed at this. "Is that what she told you? That she doesn't know me? Classic."

"Do I know you?" I asked, confused, studying her face again.

"No. You don't," Ashley said, but I got the feeling she meant the exact opposite. I tried to remember meeting her at school. Had I been rude? I met a lot of people because I was in leadership, but it was a big school, at least two thousand students. Still, I needed to try harder to remember names and faces.

I pointed back toward the table. "I'm sorry. I'm messing up a lot tonight, but I'm going to take care of this right now. I'll tell them what really happened." This was the moment of truth. I faced my friends, who by this time were all staring at us from across the room. They would either forgive me or they wouldn't. I took a step forward but was jerked to a halt by someone grabbing my hand.

"No. Don't do this. You were right. Zelena is at least a quarter evil. She will crucify you."

"It's okay. It'll all work out. My other friends will stick up for me. Thank you so much for your help tonight. You were such a good sport." I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek then whirled around before I changed my mind.

I went through everything I was going to say when I reached the table. I knew Zelena would debate me on each and every truth I spoke, so I braced myself for that as well. I'd been deflecting her jabs for months now. I could handle this. I focused on Mary Margaret, her concern showing in her expression. I took comfort in that as I reached the table.

"Is everything okay?" Mary Margaret asked.

"No, I have to tell you something. Both of you," I said, looking at Emma then back to Mary Margaret.

At that moment, fill-in Daniel rushed to my side. "Please, Regina, she means nothing to me."

My mouth dropped open in shock.

"I know what this must look like, but please give me a chance to explain."

If I'd known his real name right then, I would have said it loudly, in a scolding manner, but I didn't. This wasn't exactly the low-key breakup I had been hoping for. He had not only turned my boyfriend into a cheater but was breaking up with me in front of half the school. I felt my cheeks heat with embarrassment. "No, don't do this. I'll be fine."

"Oh, really? You'll be fine without me? Is that how you feel? You just want me to walk away like you never existed. Well, what about me, Regina? What am I supposed to do without you?" His voice had gotten progressively louder and by the end of his rant he was practically yelling. A lot of people had turned toward the commotion. I had to turn my back on my friends because I felt nervous laughter bubbling up in my throat and I was pretty sure that wasn't the right reaction to this. Anyone else and that speech would've seemed over the top and fake. But he made it work. He sounded desperate. Probably a lot like I'd sounded earlier with Daniel.

I put my hand on his chest and said in a quiet voice, "Don't do this."

His stare was so intense that I forgot for a moment this was all pretend. "I can see your mind is made up. Call me if you'll hear me out." He lowered his head in defeat and then sulked off like I had really broken his heart. If he wasn't in drama, he definitely should've been. I watched as his sister left the gym after him, glaring at me. She probably wasn't trying to back up his story, but her actions only solidified everything he'd just claimed. I stood there, breathing heavily for several heartbeats, trying to will my hot face to change back to its normal temperature, when a pair of arms wrapped around me.

The familiar scent of Mary Margaret's perfume assaulted my senses, bringing me out of my shocked haze.

"I'm so sorry," she said. "What a jerk. Was he messing around with that other girl?"

"No. He's not a jerk." And I didn't even know his name.

"Don't defend him, Regina. And don't you dare take him back. You deserve better." I nodded absentmindedly, having the strangest urge to go rushing after him. Instead, I turned on a watery smile and faced my friends. Why was I reacting like this? I didn't even know him. So why did it feel like I'd been broken up with twice tonight?

I shook my head. I had my friends and that was what mattered right now. I wrapped my arms around Mary Margaret and glanced at Zelena. Surprisingly, she wasn't looking at me. Her stare was focused on the door that fill-in Daniel had just exited through. There was that familiar calculating look on her face, and I wondered what was going through her mind. I was sure of one thing—it wasn't good.

—

My parents were waiting up for me, per usual, when Mary Margaret and her date dropped me off. They'd tried to get me to go out with them after prom but I wasn't feeling up to it. They thought it was because I hadn't won prom queen. Maybe that was part of it. Or the fact that Zelena had turned from grumpy to happy with the announcement. That could've affected my mood because I did not want to feel this way over a stupid boy.

My mom stretched up from her spot on the couch to look behind me. It took me a moment to realize she was looking for Daniel.

"He's not here," I mumbled.

My dad stood and yawned. I'd made it home. He could go to bed now. "He could've at least walked you up," he said as he gave me a hug and kissed the top of my head.

I really didn't feel like rehashing the night even though I knew my parents would've been happy if I told them that Daniel and I were finished. "I'm tired. Thanks for waiting up." I hugged my mom and then disappeared into my bedroom. I unzipped my prom dress and let it puddle on the floor, not caring enough to hang it carefully. It wasn't really a memory I'd be looking forward to reliving.

I changed into my pajamas then padded to the bathroom to perform my other nighttime rituals of washing my face and brushing my teeth. When I went back to my room and saw my dress, blue eyes flashed through my mind. I was surprised that was the memory my mind decided to give me with the dress. Why had he agreed to be my fake date anyway? He said it wasn't my smile but we'd been interrupted before he'd answered what it really was. Curiosity burned in my chest. Maybe he thought I was cute? I did look great in that dress.

I gently picked it up and placed it over my desk chair. Why was I analyzing his motives anyway? It didn't matter. My brain was tired. I needed sleep.

But my brain wouldn't shut off. It kept analyzing. It thought about prom and how half the school had witnessed fake Daniel's breakup performance. They'd all be talking about it tomorrow. I didn't need anyone feeling sorry for me. How could I smooth that over? I pulled up Twitter.

 _Guess I'm single again. Who's throwing me a party?_

There. Now everyone would know I was perfectly fine. Because I was. Perfectly fine. I stared at the screen, an urge to delete that tweet rising up my chest. Sleep. I just needed sleep. Everything would be clear in the morning.

Except it wasn't. My mind had chosen to fill the night with dreams of a nameless boy and his mysterious motives. A boy who, even if I wanted to talk to again, was only reachable through a girl who hated my guts. She'd never help me get in touch with her brother. He probably didn't want to talk to me anyway even if the only reason I wanted to talk to him was to satisfy my curiosity.

I wandered downstairs to see my dad at the kitchen table with his sketchpad. I knew better than to disrupt him while he was revisiting a left-behind dream. He had once wanted to be an animator for Disney. Apparently that's a nearly impossible goal. A dream not even close to where he had ended up as a CPA, sitting at a desk, only using the left side of his brain. His pencil glided over the paper with an ease he displayed in no other aspect of his life. He was really good.

The bowls were in the cupboard behind his chair so I opted for a banana and started to take it to my room when he stopped me with a "Good morning, Regina."

"Hey, Dad. Mom at the grocery store?"

He nodded. Our house felt like a perfectly working clock. We all turned at the right time and said the right things and maintained the same rhythm day in and day out without ever deviating. It was nice to have that routine. To feel grounded in something. Safe.

"Sit and tell me about prom last night."

"That's okay, you're in the middle of something."

He waved his hand at his sketchbook, the relaxed state he had been in moments before replaced with a straight back. "I'm nowhere near the middle. More like way past the end."

I sat in the chair across from him, knowing he wouldn't give up until I gave him a summary. And besides, it was time to tell him what he'd been wanting to hear for two months. "Daniel broke up with me."

His eyes went wide, then happy, then sympathetic, all in under a second. "At prom?"

I shrugged. "It's not a big deal."

"Do you need me to drive to UCLA and beat him up?"

I raised my eyebrows.

"You're right, he's way too big for me. I'll have your brother do it."

I gave him the laugh he was looking for then took a bite of my banana, knowing that even if my dad were being serious right now, Graham would never beat up anyone for me. We weren't close enough for that.

My dad folded his hands on the table. "Chin up. There are other fish in the sea. It's a big ocean. Sometimes we need to catch and release a few before we find the keeper. Just keep swimming."

"I don't think that last metaphor applies here."

"I was on a water roll. I just went with it."

I smiled then stood and threw away the banana peel. "All I ask is that you wait until I'm out of the house before you and Mom throw a party over this."

He gave me an overly serious nod as I left the room. There. That wasn't bad. I could now check off talking to my parents about the breakup from my list.

I went through the rest of the day in a haze, answering tweets about my newly single status and what parties were happening this weekend where I could celebrate. Daniel didn't respond to the tweet about being single. He'd probably unfollow me soon. I wondered if I should unfollow him first. I didn't.

—

That night I slept hard, thankful no dreams tried to remind me of prom.

School would be a good distraction, I thought as I jumped into the shower the next morning. I wasn't sure how long I stood under the water and it was possible I'd conditioned my hair twice. I picked out an outfit carefully, knowing I'd be on the other end of a lot of staring today, and stood in front of the mirror to get ready.

By the time I looked at my phone, I realized I'd spent way too much time perfecting my look. I'd have to skip breakfast. On my way through the kitchen I grabbed a granola bar.

"Running late, Mom." I called as her whole body turned to follow my path through the kitchen. Her wide eyes proved she was shocked I wasn't eating breakfast with her like I normally did. "I'll see you at five. We have a meeting after school."

"Okay. Love you."

"You too." I let the door swing shut behind me and threw my backpack onto the floorboard of the passenger seat before climbing into the car after it.

"Wow, you look good."

"Thanks."

Mary Margaret pointed to my front porch where my mom waved good-bye to us. I smiled and waved back.

"I swear your family should be on some Perfect Family billboard or something. What's it like to have the world's best parents?"

"They are pretty great. They always seem to do everything by the book."

"What book is that?"

"I don't know, 'What to Say to Your Kids 101'?" I took a deep breath and opened my granola bar.

"You didn't eat breakfast?"

"No time."

Mary Margaret backed out of my driveway. "You okay? I didn't hear from you at all this weekend. I thought you'd want to go out last night."

I shrugged. "No, I had homework to finish."

"I'm sorry you didn't win."

"Win what?"

"Prom queen."

I gave a little laugh. "You think me not wanting to go out had to do with not winning prom queen?"

"I don't know, that or Daniel. I've just never seen you upset over a guy before."

I started to deny that staying home all weekend had to do with Daniel but in a weird way it did. Or at least with the person who'd filled in for him. He'd taken over my thoughts and was making it impossible to concentrate. Why was that the case when I hardly even knew him? Maybe that was the point—that he had saved me the other night without knowing me at all. And I wanted to know why. "You're right. It does have to do with him."

"Is it because he basically broke up with you first by cheating on you?"

"What?"

"You're just always the breaker-upper. He beat you to it."

"I . . ."

She playfully punched my arm. "Don't deny it."

Daniel. He broke up with me. That tension in my chest was back at the thought of it. No, I was done with him. He'd left me in the parking lot at prom. He didn't get to make me feel bad anymore.

Mary Margaret grabbed my hand. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to make light of it. He pulled a jerk move. You should be upset. I should've taken you out for a milk shake or something." She squeezed my hand. "But you can't let a boy ruin your carefully crafted image. Pull yourself together and we'll mourn in private."

"Right. We wouldn't want that." Was this how I'd comforted her after Victor last year? "Did you guys have fun Saturday night after leaving prom? What did you end up doing?"

"We went over to the park and hung out. Leo surfed on the swings."

"That sounds fun."

"It was funny. He almost ruined his tux."

I smiled. "So, Leo? Are you feeling like you know him better now? He seemed nice."

She shrugged. "I don't know. He's a solid B, but I still think I have a chance with David. He's A material for sure. Don't you think?"

David. I vaguely remembered telling her a month ago when no one had asked her to prom yet that David was someone she should aim for. He was a star on the football team plus did well in school. But then Leo had asked her and she seemed to like him so I thought she'd forgotten about David. Apparently not. "David had his chance. I think if you had a good time with Leo that you should go for it."

"Not that it matters. We are leaving for college soon." She bit her lip, containing a smile. "Then we will have our pick of college boys. College men. Ones that are way better than Daniel."

"Right." I finished my granola bar and shoved the wrapper in my backpack.

"Oh, speaking of, my mom bought us a doormat."

"For our dorm?"

"Yes, I tried to tell her that our dorm was inside a building and it wasn't like an apartment, but she insisted."

"What does it look like?"

"Get this. It says, 'I am not a doormat.'" She groaned.

I laughed. "Do you think she is trying to send a message to our future visitors or just trying to be funny?"

"I don't think she gets the double meaning. I think she thinks the doormat is saying it's not a doormat and she finds that amusing."

"Your mom is funny."

"My mom is annoying."

"Between our two sets of parents, we're not going to have to buy anything for our dorm room."

She smiled and held up her fist for me to bump. "One hundred and three days until we're officially roommates."

"I can't wait."

We pulled into the parking lot at school. Right away I saw Emma and Zelena heading our way from where they had just climbed out of the car. I braced myself. Zelena had all weekend to analyze prom. Surely she'd come up with something incriminating.

—

 _ **Let me know what you think. See ya!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Hi!  
Well, I want to be clear on something. This story is not mine, the author is Kasie West. I'm just sharing her story with you. I forgot to write it in the first chapter and I didn't know how edit the file. That's why I put a note in my profile, but I think nobody read it, obviously. So, sorry for my mistake.**_

 _ **Anyway, I hope you keep reading and enjoying this story.**_

—

 **Chapter 4**

Emma and Zelena joined us at the car.

"Regina" Emma said. "Tie breaker."

"Okay." I shouldered my backpack and shut the car door.

"Which building do you think is higher—the Holiday Inn or the Convention Center?"

"Um…what?"

"The boys were talking about rappelling off one. Hypothetically, of course."

"Which Holiday Inn? Beachfront or Downtown?"

"Beachfront."

"The Convention Center. Hands down. But Beachfront would be easier to rappel without getting caught."

"See?" Emma said, pointing at Zelena.

"You act like Regina is the authority on building heights."

Great. I'd thought it was an argument between the boys. I hadn't realized I was going against Zelena. It was like she was always on the opposing side from me whether I knew it or not. "But I could be wrong," I said. "I've never measured them." I walked toward campus, the others following after me.

"I'll Google it," Zelena said.

She was constantly Googling things to prove she was right. The problem was that when she wasn't right she got all pissy, as if we had personally gone into Google and changed all the answers to go against her.

She pulled out her phone. "Oh, and while I'm online, I wanted to leave mean messages on Daniel's Facebook page for what he did to you. What's his last name again?"

Here it was—her play. I was surprised she had waited this long. "He isn't on Facebook. Who goes on Facebook anymore anyway?" He actually was on Facebook, but there was no way I was telling her that.

"So Instagram? Twitter? You showed me them before but I don't remember his handle," she pushed.

"We broke up, Zelena. I don't want him to think I'm still hung up on him."

"But the messages will be from me." She held her phone poised like I was going to give her his social media information right there on the way to class. I wasn't sure if she thought she'd find something on one of those sites to incriminate me or if she knew he wasn't who I claimed him to be. "Did you see our prom picture I posted? It already has forty likes."

"Yes, I saw."

She handed me the phone anyway and I looked at the picture of the seven of us crowded around that table at prom. My date's head was mostly hidden by my own and I found myself wishing it wasn't. I held back a frustrated sigh over that thought and gave her back her phone.

"I've been thinking," Zelena said.

Never a good thing, I thought.

"It's so weird that Daniel knew someone else from our school. Not only knew her but was having a relationship with her behind your back. What are the odds of that?"

Crap. Our story had holes. Big ones. Everyone seemed to analyze this statement because all their eyes were on me now to explain. One harmless lie. I thought that's all I'd have to tell that night at prom. I was just changing the order of events. And now here I was, still lying. I felt myself building the web and I was afraid the only one who was going to get trapped in it was me.

"He used to live here before I knew him. Before he went away to school. He must've known her from then."

"Who is she anyway?" Mary Margaret asked this time. "We should find her and talk to her. Tell her to stay away from Daniel."

"I didn't recognize her. Maybe she doesn't even go to school here. Maybe she went to prom with a friend." My anxiety was building, my heart racing. I didn't like lying. Lucky for me, Killian sidestepped into our group, draping his arm around my shoulder. I was happy for the interruption, knowing he'd change the subject to student council stuff that we had been working on for the last few weeks. Or at least that's why I figured he was here. It's all we ever talked about anymore.

"So, now that you're single . . ."

Or maybe he wouldn't change the subject. "I don't do repeats, Killian."

He laughed. "Too bad for you."

"Yes, it tears me up inside."

"So," he said. "Rally emergency. The sound system for the gym is down. Mr. Hopper doesn't know if it will be fixed by Friday."

"Okay, we'll discuss it at the meeting today."

"As vice president, I felt it important to report this immediately as I am just a servant to your authority."

I hip-checked him. "Whatever. I'll see you after school."

"I'm dismissed, boss?"

I smiled. "Go away."

He ran off, joining another group of girls ahead of us. Mary Margaret and Emma had fallen a few steps behind, talking about calculus homework, but Zelena was still at my side.

"I thought he said he didn't know our town very well. He asked if we had an arcade," Zelena said.

I blinked, confused. "What?"

"Daniel. You said he lived here before, but he said he didn't know our town very well."

Something in me snapped. I wasn't going to put up with this anymore. I'd been trying to play nice for months now, thinking if I didn't they might choose her over me. But right now, I had to take the risk because I was tired of feeling like I had to defend myself every time I hung out with my best friends. So in a voice as low and stern as I could manage I said, "I'm done with this. You met Daniel. He's obviously real. If you continue to play whatever game it is that you're playing, I will take my friends and you will be gone."

My hands shook and I shoved them into my pockets so she couldn't see how upset it had made me to say that. I was assuming what I had told fill-in Daniel the other night was true—that she thought I was the leader of this group. If she thought that, this power play would work.

She narrowed her eyes and her head clicked one notch to the side, like a lioness assessing her next meal. "I'm not sure what you're talking about," her mouth said even though her look said, "Game on."

"Good. It was just my imagination, then." I took the steps to the C building quickly, outpacing the group. "See you guys at lunch."

A group good-bye echoed from the three of them and I ducked into the building while they continued on to the next one. I pressed my back against the wall, counted ten deep breaths until the shakiness was gone, then continued on to class.

I sank into my seat and the girl in front of me, a girl who normally sat on the other side of the room, turned around to pass me the quiz Mrs. Rios was already handing out.

"Thanks," I said, annoyed Mrs. Rios had chosen to give us a pop quiz on the Monday after prom. I pulled out my phone and quickly sent off a tweet: _PSA: Pop Quiz in Government._ That should win me a few points with my followers. It made me feel better to do something nice after what I'd just said to Zelena. I sighed and tucked my phone away.

"Bad day?" the girl in front of me asked.

I met her eyes lined in thick black, like they always were, and gasped. It was fill-in Daniel's sister.

"Ashley?" I asked.

She just smirked at me then turned back around, retrieving a pencil from her backpack.

"That is so not fair," I said. "You looked nothing like this at prom." I gestured toward her outfit, which was black layered with more black, then to her face, which was covered in almost as much makeup as my makeup-hoarding grandma wore on bingo night.

"It was a social experiment. You failed." Ashley paused. "Or succeeded in proving us right. Either way."

"So you're mad at me for not recognizing you when you purposefully made it impossible."

"If that were your worst offense, I'd consider myself lucky."

I'd done something else to her? Something worse?

Mrs. Rios cleared her throat. "Girls, no talking. It's time for the quiz."

This morning had not started off well. Fill-in Daniel could've told me that his sister normally dressed like a heavy metal band member. I might've remembered her then. She'd only been here a few months—mid-year transfer. As far as I remembered, I hadn't said more than two words to her, so I wasn't sure what my other offenses might have been.

I was distracted for the entire quiz, my mind barely registering the questions let alone being able to answer them in an intelligent manner. I tried my best then stared at the back of Ashley's head the rest of class waiting for my opportunity to talk to her. When the bell rang, I grabbed my backpack as quickly as she grabbed hers and matched her step for step out the door.

"What?" she barked when we were in the hall.

I wanted to ask what her brother's name was, but I couldn't admit that he hadn't told me. "I need your brother's phone number."

"Why?"

"I just wanted to send him a thank-you text." Right. A thank-you text. It would go something like " _Dear fill-in Daniel, Thank you for lying for me and tricking my friends by pretending to be my boyfriend. Now, can you tell me why you decided to come into prom with me? Why you wanted to help me? Why you gave me a super-intense look while we danced like you could see something in me that I had no idea existed? That way I can get you out of my head. Thank you."_

"If he wanted you to have his number, he would've given it to you." She seemed to take pleasure in saying this to me.

"He would've but he had to leave abruptly with the whole fake fight thing."

She groaned as if she had just remembered how I had used him again.

"If I give you my number, will you give it to him?"

"If I throw myself down these stairs, will you leave me alone?"

We had exited the building and were standing at the top of the cement stairs. A guy as equally punked-out as her stood at the bottom staring up at us. She didn't wait for my answer, which technically could've been "yes" or "no", just walked down to join him.

"Hey, Regina" he said when I caught up with them both at the bottom.

I did a double take and realized he was the guy who had been Ashley's date to the prom. "Hi. I'm sorry. I don't know your name."

He shrugged. "I've only been in four of your classes over the last three years. Why would you?"

My cheeks reddened. Had he really? I looked at him again, closer. He honestly didn't look at all familiar to me, except from prom the other night. We did go to public school—class sizes were big.

"Watch out," Ashley said, "your popular friends might see you walking with us."

I looked up to see Mary Margaret and Emma making a beeline for me. They probably wouldn't recognize her, but Ashley was right, if they saw her and realized she was the same girl from prom, it would ruin everything. I changed my direction, leaving Ashley and her boyfriend behind.

"Coward," Ashley said when I was ten steps away. I tripped a little but didn't stop.

"Do you know them?" Emma asked when I met up with her and Mary Margaret.

"She's in my government class. We had a pop quiz. Who gives a pop quiz the Monday after prom? Our teacher is Satan, I've decided."

They didn't seem to notice that I'd completely glazed over their question, changing the subject. "Yeah, I saw your tweet. People were retweeting it all over the place."

"Regina!" a guy called out while walking by. "Thank you for the PSA. You're my hero."

Emma laughed.

Mary Margaret tugged on my arm, bringing my attention back to her. "Are you and Zelena fighting again?"

Another question I wanted to glaze over. "She's been on my case about Daniel for two months and she still won't let it go."

"But we all met him. What could she possibly have to say now?"

My tongue felt two sizes too big for my mouth. Now was the time when I should come clean, tell them what she could dig up and how stupid I was for lying. That way she'd have nothing on me.

Emma grabbed my hand. "Just try to be nice to her. She's been through a lot."

"Right, it's just—" My phone chimed and I instinctively glanced at the screen.

Mary Margaret must've been looking over my shoulder because she said, "Don't you dare call him."

My eyes were still wide with shock. It was a message from Daniel: I've been thinking about prom night…call me when you get home.

—

I was home, staring at my phone, not calling Daniel. What I had told Killian was true—I didn't do repeats. But Mary Margaret was right too—I'd always been the one to break it off with a guy. The breakup with Daniel was sudden and I hadn't been prepared. Maybe it was premature. My mind tried to remind me that he had left me in the middle of the prom parking lot. I didn't want him back. But it wouldn't hurt to call him back, get better closure. Maybe if I told him how it felt to be left in the parking lot at prom, by myself, I'd feel better. Maybe it would help me get over this faster because I still got a stupid lump in my throat every time I thought of him.

I needed to touch 'Call'. All the numbers were on the screen waiting for that simple act. What was stopping me? Nothing.

I touched the Call icon. My heart raced as the phone rang. I was going to do this. End it for good. Then why was I relieved when the call went to voice mail? "Heeey," his prerecorded message said. "You missed me. But I have your name and number on caller ID so unless I don't want to talk to you, I'll call you back." I laughed a little. Daniel was fun. It felt like I hadn't heard his voice in ages even though it had only been a couple of days. I pushed 'End' without leaving a message then threw my phone on my bed and left it there while I spent the next few hours on homework.

When I went back to my room, my phone showed several missed texts from Mary Margaret and a missed call from Daniel. I responded to the texts but I had made an important decision about Daniel. I had to wait to talk to him, give myself some time to calm down. I didn't want my emotions to tell a different story than my mind. In the meantime, I needed to see fill-in Daniel one more time. He needed to answer one simple question—why had he done it? He'd answer that question away from prom night, under normal circumstances. He'd be in his nerd T-shirt with his funny hair. Then I could be done with both the Daniels and move on with my life.

This was my plan and I was determined to make it work. I started by opening my closet and retrieving my yearbooks from the top shelf.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

My friends and I normally went off campus for lunch so it wasn't hard to stay behind claiming make-up testing. It also wasn't hard to find where Ashley and her boyfriend hung out with a few other friends by the empty portables that were technically off limits during lunch.

I clutched the note with my phone number in my hand. I didn't want to admit how many times I had written my number so it looked the perfect amount casual, the perfect amount deliberate. I had never done that for a guy before. It added to my frustration over this whole situation. I just needed to talk to him, figure out his prom motivations, get him out of my head, and then it would be over.

Ashley and another girl were playing tic-tac-toe in the dirt using sticks.

"Hi, Ashley. Hi, Sean" I said when I approached. It had taken me two yearbooks and an hour and a half to figure out Sean's name but I did. He didn't seem impressed with my efforts. He just waved a half-eaten apple at me in greeting. Ashley didn't even look up from her game.

I held up the note. "I was hoping you'd give this to…" I paused, praying that either Ashley or Sean would provide me with a name.

Ashley just looked up and said, "My brother?"

"Right. Will you give this to him for me?"

She filled in an X on the board in the dirt. "No."

"Please."

"Oh, well, since you asked nicely…no."

Her friend laughed. "Oh, look, is Regina Mills. You told our friend his band sucked and that he should take up a new hobby."

I gasped. "I did not."

"Oh, that's right. Your friend Zelena did and you laughed. Same difference."

I remembered that. It was the end of a very long day of bands trying out to play for prom. They were the fifth horrible band in a row and my head had been pounding. Zelena, who'd volunteered herself as one of the judges and had done a pretty good job of being nice, couldn't hold her comment in any longer. I did laugh. We all laughed. I shouldn't have. This was probably the "bigger offense" I'd committed that Ashley had referred to the day before.

"Yeah…sorry about that. I had a headache."

"Don't apologize to me. It wasn't my dream you were crushing." She looked at Sean as if waiting for him to say something. Maybe she wanted him to get mad at me as well. He didn't.

"Right," I said. The hand, still clutching my ignored note, dropped to my side.

Ashley drew a new empty board on the dirt, ignoring more than just my note. Sean took another bite of his apple and smiled at me but then shrugged as if to say, "You're out of luck."

"I'll see you tomorrow in class, then." I tucked the note into my jeans and left to the sounds of more laughter. I guessed it was okay when they were the ones doing the mocking.

—

"Can I take the car to school tomorrow?"

My mom's hand paused where it was reaching for a glass in the cupboard. "Why?" She grabbed the glass and turned to face me.

"I need to do something after school." That may include following someone home like a creepy stalker. "I don't want to make Mary Margaret drive me."

She considered while she filled her glass with water from the door in the fridge. She was a real estate agent and if she had tons of appointments set up tomorrow it wouldn't work. But she usually wasn't too busy on weekdays. The weekends were when people needed to look at the twelfth house they wouldn't buy or the one they'd already looked at twelve times. "That should be fine. I can borrow Dad's car if I need it, but this isn't going to be the norm, right? You and Mary Margaret aren't fighting or anything? Dad told me about Daniel."

Her thought progression made no sense to me. Was she saying that because I'd fought with Daniel, I must be fighting with everyone I knew? "No, we're fine. We're… the same as we've always been." Everything in my life was the same as it had always been. I may have felt off, but everything around me was exactly the same.

"Good. You'd hate to start college fighting with your roommate."

"Uh… thanks, Mom."

She laughed. "You know what I mean."

I knew what she meant and she was right, I didn't want that to happen. Why had I lied to Mary Margaret? "Yes, you're right. But we're not fighting." At least not yet. I watched her drink her water and thought about asking her what she thought the result of lying to my friends would be. Maybe she'd have some insights. But I didn't ask.

"Thanks for letting me use the car" I said, then left the kitchen.

I dialed Mary Margaret's number as I walked the hall to my room. I fell back on my bed. "Hi, Mary Margaret" I said when she answered.

"Hey."

"So I don't need a ride tomorrow to school. I'm using my mom's car."

"Why?" It was a fair question. We'd been riding to school together since we got our licenses and my parents had made the executive decision that I didn't need my own car. I blamed my brother for the three accidents he had gotten into before he turned eighteen. The only time I didn't ride with Mary Margaret was when one of us was sick.

"I have to run some errands for my mom." The lies were endless at this point and it sucked. I sucked.

"Are you mad at me?"

"Of course not."

"It's just…you've been acting weird since prom."

I'd felt weird since prom, like maybe for the first time I was really evaluating my life and discovering I came up lacking. Starting with the fact that Ashley was right—I was a coward. I was scared to tell my friends the truth. What if Mary Margaret didn't want to room with me at college? What if she hated me? "I know. I'm sorry."

"It's okay." She gave a little sigh.

I steered the conversation back to a safer topic. "Do you believe we're about to graduate?"

"I know, high school seemed to take forever and now it's speeding by."

I twisted the corner of my sheet around my finger over and over and listened to her talk about how fun college was going to be. Yes, finding fill-in Daniel was key. He had done this to me and I needed it undone.

—

It had all gone as planned so far. I'd been able to discreetly find Ashley after school where she got into the passenger seat of a car that did not belong to her brother. Well, it could've, but he wasn't driving it. We'd made two right turns and passed three stoplights. He'd said he lived only six blocks from the school, so I imagined we were coming close to their house. My palms started to sweat, so I wiped them on my jeans, keeping my eyes on the taillights in front of me. I couldn't lose them. Their car's blinker went on and so did mine. Then they turned into the parking lot of a 7-Eleven. I hesitated, not wanting to lose them, but it was a small parking lot. Ashley would surely see me.

I started to pass but decided at the last second not to and turned the wheel, causing the tires to squeal. I cringed, sure they heard, but it didn't matter, they were already out of their car and Ashley was standing there waiting for me.

I sighed and parked next to them.

"Are you following us?"

"What? No. It's half-off Slurpee day" I said, reading the sign in the window. "I always come here on Wednesdays."

She glanced over her shoulder at the door then back to me. "Really? Huh. Well, we just thought you were following us. Guess not. Enjoy your Slurpee." She reached for the handle.

"Wait. You're not going inside?"

"No."

"You're going home?"

"Yes."

She opened the car door.

"Fine, I never come here on Wednesdays. I was following you," I blurted out. "I just want to see him again."

She leaned her hip against the door and gave me a slow once-over. "Yeah, not happening." And with that she got into the car and they drove away.

—

Since when did I chase things? This was pointless. I was done. I didn't need to find him to forget him. It was over. I was moving forward. A big weight lifted off my shoulders with that thought. One Daniel down, one to go.

His outgoing message ended, followed by the loud beep. I took a breath and said, "Hey, Daniel, it's me. Call me back when you get a minute." I wasn't going to tell him in a voice mail that I wasn't regretting our breakup.

I pressed End and threw the phone on the passenger seat. When I pulled up to my house, Mary Margaret's car sat out front and she sat in it, waiting for me.

"Hey," I said as we both stepped out of our cars.

She held up a cup. "A few days late, but here it is."

I joined her. "What is it?"

"A milk shake."

I smiled and gave her a hug, holding on for a couple of seconds too long before pulling away. "You're the best. Let's go inside."

"I can't, I'm going surfing. Wanna come?"

I laughed. "Are you going to ask me that every time you go? It's as though you like to hear me say no."

She smiled. "I just feel like you're missing out on one of the true joys in life."

"What's that? Super-freezing water, gross salty hair, and washing away sand for days?"

"Well, when you put it like that, it sounds bad."

"Exactly."

She swatted my arm. "It's fun. Peaceful."

"You know what's also fun and peaceful? Drinking a shake." I took a big sip from mine.

"That's true. Or eating brownies."

"Or pedicures."

"Naps."

"Music."

"Guys," we both said at the same time then laughed.

Well, normally guys are, I thought. Not so much lately.

"We are so the same person" she said. "Well, except for that surfing thing."

"Yeah, come on. Get past that so we don't have this wedge between us."

My smile turned a little forced as I thought about the only wedge between us and who had put it there.

"So how did your make-up tests go yesterday?"

"Make-up tests?" I remembered one moment too late that she was talking about the excuse I'd used to stay behind on campus and talk to. "Yeah, they went well…"

"That doesn't sound like they really did. Are you worried you're failing something?"

Our friendship. I couldn't tell any more lies. I was turning over a new leaf, starting fresh. "I wasn't taking a make-up test."

"Okay… what were you doing?"

"I had to talk with someone on campus."

"Who?"

"Her name is Ashley. I just didn't want the whole gang coming. She hangs out by the portables."

"With the stoners?"

"I'm pretty sure they're not stoners."

"Well, they act like…" Her phone chimed and she stopped mid-sentence to check it. "They're waiting for me. I probably better go."

"Who's waiting for you?"

"Zelena and Emma. Remember, I told you we're surfing."

"I thought you were surfing by yourself, peacefully."

She laughed. "No, they wanted to come this time."

"Zelena surfs?"

She shrugged. "She wants to learn."

It took everything in me not to run inside and put my suit on like I now wanted to. I wasn't going to change my mind just because the three of them would be there without me. And I also wasn't going to rush telling her about prom right now. I'd tell her when she had more time. "Have fun."

As Mary Margaret got in her car I yelled out, "Thanks for this," and held up my shake.

"May it bring you peace," she said with a smile and then drove away.

—

In Government the next morning as I sat down, Ashley immediately turned around in her seat. "Change of plans. It's time to pay up."

"Uh… what?"

"You owe my brother a favor and I'm here to collect."

She wanted me to do something for her brother when I'd just banned him from my brain? "I can't."

"You owe him." She pulled something out of her bag and slapped it onto my desk. It was an envelope, its top edge jagged.

"What is it?" I asked without picking it up.

"It's not going to bite you."

"And you didn't poison it?"

"Open it."

I picked it up and took out the single page inside. An invitation, printed on gold-bordered paper. "Are you inviting me to your birthday party?"

"You're just a regular comedian this morning, aren't you?"

I read the invitation. You're invited to a graduation party for Marian Spencer. Saturday, May 7th at 7pm. "Am I supposed to know who this is?"

"My brother's ex."

My eyes zeroed in on the address included on the invite. Marian lived only, like, twenty minutes away. Ashley and her brother had moved from across town?

Ashley continued, "I found it on the counter last night and then I heard him calling her to confirm that he is actually going to that thing. She invited him. And he is going. She's trying to sink her claws into him again when she is the one who left him. She is awful, Regina. Worse than you."

"Thanks."

"You're just clueless. She's intentionally mean."

"Was that supposed to make it better?"

The bell rang and Mrs. Rios stood in front of the class, her eyes narrowing in on me. Ashley turned around to face the front. My attention drifted to the invitation still on my desk. When Mrs. Rios turned to write something on the whiteboard, I leaned forward. "So, I don't understand. What do you want me to do about this?"

Mrs. Rios must have supersonic hearing because her head whipped toward us. I leaned back. Half of class passed and I swore Ashley was just trying to drive me insane by not saying a word. Finally she slipped a note back to me.

 _You are going to be his date to the party. His new "girlfriend." You owe him._

My heart thumped loud in my chest. I had told him I owed him a fake date on prom night. He'd taken me up on it. Why had he taken me up on it?

—

The day passed excruciatingly slowly as I thought about Saturday. I hoped seeing him again wasn't going to screw up my plans. No, this was good. Like I said before, he could answer my questions and it would be over.

It was hot as I headed toward Mary Margaret's car at the end of the day. Had it been this hot all day? I peeled off my sweater and laced it through the strap of my backpack. When I looked up, David Nolan was standing in front of me, blocking my path. His easy smile and confident posture reminded me why I had told Mary Margaret to ask him to prom. He was definitely A material. I returned his smile.

"David."

"Regina. What happened at prom? You were supposed to be my queen."

"Are you rubbing it in that you won and I didn't, David?"

He let out a loud laugh. "I was just surprised you didn't, that's all."

Why did everyone else keep bringing this up? Did they want me to be upset? "I guess you'll have to dance with me another time." I moved to go around him but he held out his arm, stopping me.

"I'm having a party this weekend. Come."

"This weekend?"

"Saturday."

The invitation that Ashley had left sitting on my desk for all of first period flashed in my mind. Of course it would be the same day. She'd kill me if I bailed now. "I can't, but thanks for the invite." I pushed his arm away and left him, throwing a smile over my shoulder to let him know I wasn't trying to be mean.

"I see how you are. Playing hard to get."

I laughed and kept walking.

Mary Margaret was already in her car when I got there. I collapsed into the passenger seat.

"Well, hello to you too" Mary Margaret said.

"Hey, baby."

"Oh, now you talk sweet to me." She started the car. "So, check out my hair."

I looked at her hair but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. It was long and black and shiny just like it always was. "Yep, it's still perfect."

She shoved my shoulder. "I want you to note that there are still no after effects of surfing yesterday. No—how do you put it? —saltwater trauma."

"Well, that's because you have beautiful magic hair. Mine wouldn't be as kind."

"Magic hair?"

"Don't try to deny it. How did it go yesterday? Did you all have fun?"

"We did, but Zelena and her mom are fighting again so it turned into a therapy session."

"Did you tell her that no one gets along with their mom?"

"Except you."

"You didn't tell her that, did you?" As if Zelena needed another reason to hate me.

"No, I didn't. But her issues with her mom go beyond the norm and there really wasn't much I could say that made her feel better."

"What's going on? Is she okay?"

"I really don't feel like it's my place to tell you. Maybe you could try talking to her."

"She doesn't want to talk to me. And what makes you think I'd be able to help?"

"I don't know. You're good with people."

"Not with her." Mary Margaret was probably just trying to get Zelena and me to talk more. She'd probably given Zelena some story about me as well that she was supposed to help me with. But Zelena didn't want to be my friend so I wasn't sure why Mary Margaret thought anything I said to her would make a difference. I knew it meant a lot to Mary Margaret though, and maybe it really would help so I said, "I'll try."

"Thank you."

—

The first thing I noticed when Mary Margaret pulled up to my house was my brother's beat-up car sitting at the curb.

"Graham's here?" Mary Margaret said. "I should probably stay."

"Funny," I said. "And gross."

"Come on, you know he's cute. I can't help it." She turned off her car and got out with me. I rolled my eyes but laughed.

Inside, Graham had a plate piled with food like he hadn't eaten in weeks. Maybe the last good meal he had was here, three weeks ago. He had some new growth on his face that made him seem so much older than me when really we were only three years apart.

"You're home," I said unnecessarily.

His mouth was full of food but he smiled anyway. He even added a "Hey, sis."

"Hi."

"Hi" Mary Margaret said as well.

He swallowed. "How's it going? And yes, I'm home for the weekend."

"It's only Thursday."

"I don't have classes on Fridays."

I wondered if his being here would change my plans for Saturday. Would Mom want us to have some sort of family dinner that night?

Mary Margaret sat down at the table in the chair across from him. "How is UCLA? I'll be there in a hundred days with Regina."

He gave her an amused look. "And how many hours?"

Her cheeks went pink. "I don't have that figured out."

"Well, you'll love it. It's great." Graham took another bite of food then he turned toward me. "I ran into Daniel the other day."

"Oh?" My face went numb. I didn't want to talk about Daniel right now, in front of Mary Margaret. I was worried something might come out. When I told Mary Margaret the truth, it needed to be just her and me. My brother wouldn't help.

"He said you guys are fighting?"

"That's what he said? That we're fighting?" I wasn't sure what that meant. That he thought we might get back together? He hadn't called me back since I left the message the day before.

Graham's brows went down. "I think that's what he said. Are you not fighting?"

"He broke up with me."

"He cheated on her," Mary Margaret added.

Crap. "Well, I mean, that's what it seemed like," I said to smooth things over in case my brother relayed this back to Daniel.

"What do you mean that's what it seemed like?" Mary Margaret said, indignant on my behalf. "There was that other girl there. He basically admitted to it."

"Right. But we didn't see anything and I haven't really let him explain."

"You're going to forgive him?" Mary Margaret asked, standing to face me.

"No." It was nearly impossible to convey two different things at the same time. I couldn't let my brother go back to Graham with the cheating story, but I didn't want Mary Margaret to think I was getting back together with him after he "cheated" on me.

"Huh," my brother said. "I hadn't heard that side of the story."

"What did you hear?" I asked, unable to contain my curiosity about how Graham was telling the story.

"He just said you had a fight and he'd been trying to call you. He asked how you were. I said I hadn't talked to you in a while but that according to Twitter you were… um… how did you put it? 'Chillin' at home'?"

"You really said that to him?"

"That's what you wrote on Twitter. You're okay with the world reading it but not Graham?"

"The world doesn't read my Twitter," I mumbled.

"Do you want me to find out if he's cheating on you? I have connections." He said this in a mob-boss kind of voice.

"No," I said, but Mary Margaret said, "Yes" right over me.

He looked between the two of us.

"No," I said again. "Please, I don't need my brother policing my relationship."

He leaned into the table. "Regina, I hope you're not trying to pretend everything is fine if a guy cheated on you. You should be pissed about that."

"I am. I mean, I would be if he really had."

Mary Margaret's mouth dropped open at this point. Graham shook his head. "Mary Margaret, in case you haven't learned this about my sister, everything in her world is perfect. Even if it really isn't."

I had almost forgotten how Graham was. He liked to stir up trouble. It was like he lived for it. He got some sick, manic pleasure from it.

"You've at least talked to the parents about this, right? Or someone?" He looked at Mary Margaret with his last sentence.

"Mary Margaret was there that night. And yes, Mom and Dad know we broke up."

"And I'm sure you had a real heart-to-heart about it. Dad told you some overused metaphors, Mom told you not to stir up trouble, and you smiled like they are the best parents in the world."

"Stop it." I wanted to get along with my brother, but the only thing he wanted to do was make me feel bad about myself.

"Or what?" He smiled at me.

"Just don't. Please."

He held up his hands. "Fine, I'll stay out of it."

"Thank you."

He put his plate in the sink. "Gotta do some laundry. We'll catch up more later."

When he was gone, Mary Margaret said, "You're not really thinking about getting back together with Daniel, are you?"

"No?"

She shook her head. "That doesn't exactly sound like conviction. Don't let his dreamy blue eyes and perfect smile make you forget what he did."

I felt my face wrinkle into confusion before I remembered she was describing my fill-in date. I nearly laughed at her description. He did have dreamy blue eyes and a perfect smile. "Right. I won't forget what he did."


	6. NOTE

**NOTE**

Hi everyone! I just read your comments. As you know, I forgot to make a note about the original author of this story and then I apologized for my mistake, but I can see that some people just can't forgive me for that. My mistake was that and it is not an excuse, but several people have shared stories written by other people and they change the names of the characters. Anyway… I just want to know if you want me to continue to share the rest of the story. If you say "no", I'll delete the story and all done. Thanks for your attention.


	7. Chapter 6

_**Hi again!  
I read your comments about the note I wrote some time ago, and now i know you want me to continue to share the rest of the story with all of you, so…that's why i'm here.  
I hope you keep reading.**_

 **Chapter 6**

I was a ball of nerves. What was I supposed to wear to a graduation party where I was playing the fake girlfriend? I called Mary Margaret and Emma over to help me pick out an outfit, trying to keep the same pre-date routine I always had.

Carrying a Coke Freeze, Mary Margaret walked into my room and sat down in my desk chair. Emma took the bed next to the clothes I'd laid out. "Are these the top choices so far?"

"Yes." I grabbed the first outfit, a pair of shorts and a flowy blouse, and went to my closet to change.

"Where's Zelena?" Mary Margaret asked.

"She said she couldn't come." I'd told Mary Margaret I'd try, and even though I hadn't really wanted her to come over, I'd called and invited Zelena.

"I talked to her on the way over."

"Oh, good. Did she change her mind?"

"She said you didn't invite her."

I came out of the closet half dressed. "She said what? I called her and told her to come. How is that not inviting her?"

Mary Margaret sighed as if she didn't know who to believe. "You guys need to get used to each other or you'll never survive next year."

I started to continue arguing about inviting her but then stopped. "Wait, what?"

"Next year…college."

"She…" I didn't even want to finish that sentence.

"Yes, she got into UCLA. She didn't tell you?"

She was too busy sabotaging me. "No, she didn't." I slunk back into the closet to put my shirt on. This was not good news. It made my insides burn. I tried to push that feeling away and walked back out, holding my hands to the sides. "Yes?"

"No," Emma said. "Too casual." She threw me the yellow sundress.

Mary Margaret said, "She said she was going to tell you."

"This is the first I'm hearing of it. But that's great," I said from in the closet because I wasn't sure if my face would support my words. "It should be fun." I really did have to fix something, because there was no way I wanted to continue this drama in college. "Now I really wish you were coming too, Emma."

"I know. Don't remind me. Community college is sounding worse and worse every day."

"It's not too late to join us," Mary Margaret said.

"Actually I'm about four years' worth of good grades and thousands of dollars too late for UCLA."

"Who needs money and good grades when you have community college?" Mary Margaret said.

"Exactly what I've been saying for the last four years," Emma said. I could hear the embarrassment in her voice and I felt bad that school had been a struggle for her.

I pulled the dress over my head, straightened it, then joined them in my room. "You'll have fun, Emma. And we're only three hours away. We'll see each other all the time."

She folded the outfit I had already tried on and smoothed the shirt over and over. "You hardly saw Daniel at all and he was your boyfriend."

"Exactly. He was just my boyfriend. You've been my best friend for five years. It will be way different."

Mary Margaret joined Emma on the bed and wrapped her up in a hug. "Who needs a Emma sandwich?"

I rushed over to hug her from the other side.

"It's fine, guys. Don't feel sorry for me."

"We don't feel sorry for you. We just needed a hug." I squeezed her tighter.

She laughed. "I'm going to miss you."

I gave her one last squeeze then stood up.

"I think that's the outfit," Emma said.

I let her change the subject, sensing she needed to. "You think? Does it say backyard barbecue?" I did a turn. "It even has pockets for my cell phone."

"I'm so confused. Who is this new guy? I can't get over the fact that you haven't told us anything about him." Mary Margaret reached for her drink still sitting on the desk and nearly fell off the bed.

Emma grabbed her leg, preventing the fall. "Yes, don't we get to know?"

"It's a blind date. I don't know anything about him."

"Who is setting you up on a blind date and since when have you ever agreed to go out with someone sight unseen?"

I flinched. I'd never been set up on a blind date before, but I assumed I would've said yes if I trusted the person setting me up. "This girl in my government class. She's a junior. It's her older brother."

"What? Some girl from your class set you up with her brother and you said yes?"

"I kind of owe her a favor."

"Why?"

"I haven't been very nice to her and her friends."

"Oh, I get it. This is like a charity date? Are you going to be safe?"

"No. I mean, yes, of course I'll be safe. And no, her brother is not in need of charity." I turned and looked at myself in the full-length mirror. "So yes? No?"

"Yes, it's perfect. Wear your hair down and wavy and pair it with your wedge sandals. Unless he's short. Is he short?"

"No, he's not short." He was actually a really good height for me. "So, are you guys going to David's party tonight?"

Mary Margaret, who had been stirring her straw around her cup, looked up. "David's having a party tonight?"

"Yes."

"We hadn't heard about it," Emma said.

"Oh, sorry. I should've told you. I thought he was just inviting everyone. You should go."

"We weren't invited."

"He probably figured I'd tell you. Sorry."

Mary Margaret and Emma met eyes for a brief second and then Mary Margaret went back to her drink. "Yeah, that sounds like fun. Maybe we should go, Emma. Let's invite Zelena too."

I couldn't tell if they were mad at me for not telling them or what. I felt bad. I'd just figured he was telling everyone. "I'll try to join you all after my date."

—

My mom was trying to be polite; I could tell by the smile on her face. The problem was it was the most forced smile ever and there was no way Ashley couldn't tell.

"Where are you going again?" my mom asked, looking mostly at me but her eyes kept darting to Ashley, this time lingering on the row of earrings that lined her left ear.

"Just to my house. We have Government together and Regina said she would help me study. Here's the address." Ashley slid a piece of paper across the counter to my mom. "And my parents' phone number is on there too if you need to talk to them." She smiled and my mom's smile became a little less forced.

But to me my mom said, "Your brother is in town. I wanted us to go out to dinner tonight as a family."

Just as she said this, Graham walked through the kitchen holding his car keys. "I'm going out with some friends, Mom. Can we do dinner next time I'm in town?"

"What?" my mom asked.

Graham stopped in the middle of the kitchen when he saw Ashley, a look of curiosity taking over his expression. He took in both her outfit then mine and didn't need to say anything out loud for me to know he was wondering who Ashley was and why she was here.

"This is Regina's friend," my mom said. "Ashley, right?"

"You two are friends?" His tone conveyed his disbelief.

Ashley let out a single laugh. "Not so much friends as study partners."

This explanation didn't change Graham's expression. He looked at me like he was seeing me for the first time. "Huh," he grunted, then finished walking through the kitchen. "We good, Mom?" He flashed her the smile I remembered always got him out of the trouble he'd caused when he lived here.

She shooed him away with a smile of her own.

I pointed toward the front door. "See, he's not even staying. So I can go, right?"

"How come you're so dressed up for a study session?" Mom asked, looking me up and down.

The excuse came easy. "Because she has a cute brother."

My mom rolled her eyes as if she now understood the whole reason I was hanging out with this strange creature standing in her kitchen. "Okay, keep your cell phone on, Regina."

"Of course." I kissed her cheek and Ashley and I left my house silently.

When we got outside, I said, "Why the need for an elaborate story? I thought your brother would pick me up."

"Obviously not."

"It's just I didn't prepare my mom for . . ."

"Me?"

"Yeah."

"Well, parents love the 'she's helping me study' thing. It makes them think their kid is smart. But for the record, my grade in Government is two percentage points higher than yours. So if you need help studying . . ."

I laughed.

"Is she going to be pissed that you went out when she was planning on going to dinner as a family?"

"I don't think she'd been planning on it necessarily." I mostly thought she was using that as an excuse not to let me go with Ashley.

"So she always looks like that?"

"Like what?" I glanced over my shoulder expecting to see her standing on the porch, but it was empty.

Ashley unlocked the car doors and we climbed in. "Perfectly put-together."

I thought about my mom, her hair always styled, her makeup always done. I'd rarely seen her any other way. "Yeah . . . I guess so."

As Ashley backed out of the driveway my mother appeared on the porch. I smiled and waved. "So when my mom calls your parents, because she most likely will, they're going to be okay?"

"I gave her my phone number."

"Oh. Right." Other kids probably tricked their parents like that all the time but I'd never had to. "So wait, if you can drive, why did your brother have to drop you off at prom?"

"Because supposedly he needed the car that night, which was another reason I was so angry to see him at prom with you."

"What was he supposed to be doing?"

"I have no idea." She pulled away from my house. It was the moment of truth. I was about to see fill-in Daniel again.

—

When we got to her house, Ashley ushered me inside and straight into her bedroom, closing the door. Had this been some sort of elaborate plan to murder me? I did a full circle, taking in a room that didn't seem like it belonged to her. Well, some of it did—like the band posters of boys wearing guyliner and the roughly sketched charcoal pictures. But then there were beautiful photographs of nature—a wave breaking against a rock, the canopy of a tree, a cloud-filled sky. On her dresser was a big vase full of colorful sea glass.

"That's what you're wearing to the barbecue?" she asked, forcing my attention back to her. She was staring at my shoes.

I looked down at my outfit in a panic before I remembered who I was taking fashion advice from. "It got the three-girl vote of approval."

She sighed. "Okay, whatever. My brother will probably love it. You look . . ." She waved her hand at my outfit as if that counted as an adjective. "So anyway, here's how this is going to work."

"Wait. What do you mean how it's going to work?"

"What I'm going to tell him."

"He doesn't know?" I practically yelled.

"Shh." She looked back at the door then shook her head twice. Here I'd thought he had been the mastermind behind this plan and that Ashley had reluctantly arranged it but he didn't want this at all. Great, he was going to think I wanted him or something when all he really wanted was his old girlfriend back. It was Ashley who didn't. "Believe me, he will be happy that he doesn't have to go alone."

"He'd better be or I'm out of here."

"Oh, no you aren't. You owe him and even if he doesn't know this is for the best, you have to help me convince him that it is."

"You want me to help you convince him?"

"Only if he needs convincing. Now wait here while I talk to him." She left the room, closing the door softly behind her.

There was no way I was waiting here and going into this blind. I needed to know what he thought of this whole thing. I cracked the door just in time to see her disappear around the corner then I followed her.

I pressed my back against the wall at the end of the hall and listened.

"Hey, Ashley, what's up." At fill-in Daniel's voice my mind was able to conjure up the perfect image of him—blue eyes, brown hair, tall, a defined jawline.

"Looks like you're going somewhere," Ashley said.

"I am."

"I know where you're going."

I could almost hear his eyebrow raise.

"And I don't think it's a smart idea."

"Have you been snooping in my mail?"

"She treated you like crap and then cheated on you and you're going to give her the satisfaction of seeing you show up at her party dateless and alone."

"How do you know I'm not taking a date?"

I let out a small gasp of surprise. He'd already figured this out without our help. He had claimed on prom night that he would never be in need of a fake date. It was obviously true. Ashley wouldn't even have to reveal that I was here if he really was going with a date. She'd probably be happy that he'd found someone so he didn't have to take me.

"Oh, please. You don't have a date. You've been a recluse since she broke up with you."

He laughed and my heart returned to beating a normal rhythm. "Are you trying to go to the party with me, Ashley? If you want to go, all you have to do is ask."

"No, I'm not. Me being there would do nothing for you. What I want is for you to show up confident with proof that you have moved on from that horrible girl."

"She's not horrible."

"I think time has made you forget the extent of her betrayal."

His voice went low. "I haven't forgotten."

"Then why are you going? Why?"

"I guess I need some closure."

"And you can't talk to her at school or something?"

"I haven't seen her at school lately. She goes off campus for lunch. I'm not going to hunt her down."

"And yet here you are . . . hunting her down."

"Getting closure."

"Only that's not what is going to happen. I know her. She would only invite you for two reasons. One, she wants to rub in your face how happy she is with he-who-will-not-be-named and make sure you haven't moved on. Or two, she's dumped him and realized how great you are and wants you back. I'm pretty sure it's the second, and I think you might just be crazy enough to take her back."

"I'm not going to take her back."

"You're right. You're not because I found a date for you. Not just any date, a gorgeous one who will pretend to be in love with you."

"You hired me an escort?"

Ashley laughed. "That was my backup plan."

There was silence for a moment then he said, "You're serious, aren't you? You really did get me a date for this."

"Yes, I'm very serious. She's here right now."

"Ashley! No. This is not happening. Tell the poor girl she can go home."

"She's not a poor girl. She knows why she's here."

"And she agreed?"

"Yes, she owes you a favor."

"She owes me a favor…?"

He obviously hadn't been thinking about me as much as I had about him because with a clue like that he should've immediately known it was me.

Ashley cleared her throat. "I know you're in the hall so you might as well come out."

How did she know I was in the hall? Also, I didn't want to step out now because I felt beyond stupid. I just wanted to go home . . . after I asked him why he went to prom with me.

"Hello? Time to come out. You promised."

I swallowed and stepped out from behind the wall.

Fill-in Daniel's eyes went wide and he took me in from head to toe. "Regina?" His head whipped to his sister. "Regina?"

"Yes. Regina," she said. "You're welcome."

"You know I had nothing to do with this." He tugged on the bottom of a T-shirt that said, You can't take the sky from me. His hair needed my help again, but he was cuter than I remembered.

"Yes. Well, I know… now."

"You do not have to come with me. You look amazing, really amazing, but I'd actually rather go by myself, no offense."

"None taken." Technically I hadn't wanted to go with him to this stupid party where I wouldn't know anyone either, but his saying he didn't want me to go was a little jab to the gut. He'd rather go by himself than have to take me? Whatever. It didn't matter. If I left right now I could go to David's party with my friends. "I should probably just go home."

"Yes," fill-in Daniel said at the same exact time Ashley said, "No!"

I looked between the two of them. Ashley's eyes were pleading. I had told her I'd try to convince him, plus I kind of agreed with her. He shouldn't be going to his ex's party alone. Especially if he was trying to win her back.

"Listen, I don't have to pretend to be your girlfriend or anything. I could just go as your friend."

"I really don't want to make you do that."

"You wouldn't be making me. Plus I got all dressed up."

He smiled. "We wouldn't want that to go to waste."

"Right?"

"Good," Ashley said. "It's settled." Then she grabbed my arm and pulled me back toward her room before he could object any more. "I just need to talk to Regina for a second and then she'll be ready."

"Okay," he said.

When we were in her room, she turned to me. "Good call on the friends thing. That will get you there, then once you're there you can hold his hand and kiss his cheek and whatever other girlfriend stuff you need to do to pull this off."

"Ashley, I was serious about the friend thing. It wasn't a ploy. It's so obvious he wants his ex back."

"You see that too?"

"Yes." He may have been claiming some closure thing, but it was obvious.

I picked up my purse from where I had left it on the floor of her bedroom. "At least he's agreed to let me go, right?" On her dresser as I was leaving the room I saw several bottles of hair product. "I'm borrowing one of these." I held up a small tube of gel and shoved it in my purse.

"Do your job," she said as I left. "It's not too late to save him from her."

I was not going to force my fake girlfriendness on anyone tonight, so I just laughed and went to find fill-in Daniel.

–

 _ **It was a short chapter, but i hope you liked it.  
I'll post another soon ;)**_


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

I pulled the seat belt across my chest and clicked it in place. "Did you know that your sister never uses your first name? It's just 'my brother this' and 'my brother that.' It's maddening."

He laughed a loud laugh that made me smile, then he pulled out of the driveway and onto the road.

"It's actually really cute. I think that's how she thinks of you always, as her big brother."

His amused look softened. "So you still don't know my name?"

"No. And I need it for tonight."

He didn't provide me the answer but instead asked, "What have you been calling me in your head, then?"

"What makes you think you've been in my head?"

He just smirked like he knew he had. And he was right.

"Fill-in Daniel."

He laughed. "Wow. Creative."

"It's all I had to work with so help me out here."

"Here's the problem. There's this huge buildup now. I almost feel like I need to make up a name that fits this moment of anticipation."

I gave him a stare of impatience. "Spit it out, fill-in Daniel, or that's what you're going to be from here on out."

"Do you realize the acronym for fill-in Daniel is FID? It's cool, right?"

I smacked his arm playfully several times while saying, "Tell me your name."

He laughed and grabbed my hand, pushing it down onto the center console then trapping it there with his. "My name is . . ."

"You're right, this is super climactic. I don't think there is anything you can possibly say that will match the anticipation I feel right now."

"You're not helping."

"Should I guess?"

"We have about fifteen minutes, so you might as well."

"Okay, let's play Twenty Questions."

"All right. Hit me. Not literally, though." He squeezed my hand then let it go.

I smiled. "First question. Were you named after anyone famous?"

"Hmm. Well, yes and no. I mean, there are famous people with my name but I was named after someone not so famous with my name, I think. "

I tilted my head at him. "Really? You have to be confusing like that?"

"Is that one of your questions?"

"No, if you're going to be so strict with the rules, it's not. My next question is, can your name also be a last name or close to a last name?"

"What do you mean 'close to a last name'?"

"Like by adding a letter or something. William isn't necessarily a last name, but Williams is. Phillip to Phillips. Edward to Edwards. You get it."

"I do."

"Then there are the unmodified last names that can also be first names, like Taylor, Scott, Carter, Thomas, Lewis, Harris, Martin, Morris—"

"You think my name is Morris?"

"Just an example."

"You sure think about names a lot. Wait, don't tell me, you're one of those girls who's already named all her future children."

"No, I'm not." Well, not all of them.

"That's good. And no, my name can't be a last name."

I pursed my lips to the side, thinking. "Is it a name that can also double as a word?"

"Explain."

"You know, like Hunter or Forest or Stone—"

"Or Tree?"

"Ha-ha. No, I was going to say Grant. As in, grant me the patience to deal with this boy while I am trapped in a car with him."

"Trapped? I seem to recall you practically begging to come with me."

"I don't beg."

With this he let out one big laugh.

"Okay, fine, I begged on prom night but whatever." I hit him again. Then something occurred to me. "So why were you waiting in the parking lot anyway? You live six blocks from the school and your sister has a cell phone. Plus your sister said you had somewhere to be."

He was quiet for so long that I thought maybe I'd brought up a sore subject. Finally he said, "If I tell you, I don't want you to think I'm some sort of creep."

"I make no promises."

"I was worried about you."

"About me?"

"I pulled in right as Daniel had unlinked your arms from his waist and pushed you away. Then you were yelling at each other. And the look on your face after he left… I just wanted to make sure you were okay and that you had a ride home. I pulled out a book so I didn't look too creepy while waiting to see what you were going to do."

Two feelings competed to take over my emotions. The first was extreme embarrassment at how pathetic I must've looked. The second was appreciation at how nice he had been without even knowing me. The gratitude won. "Thank you," I said. "That's very…"

"Creepy?"

"No, sweet. So is that why?"

"Why, what?"

"You said it wasn't my smile that got you to go to prom with me but something else. Was it that you felt sorry for me?"

"Maybe a little at first, but then, you looked so…"

"Hot?" I prompted when he didn't finish.

He smiled. "So lonely."

The smile that had been on my face with the joke slipped off. "Lonely? Wow. Thanks."

He didn't respond.

"I have a lot of friends."

"Don't be mad. It was just an observation. I was probably wrong."

"You are wrong." Here I'd thought he'd seen something in me that I hadn't known I possessed, something he had figured out about me. It was the main reason I'd wanted to find him. Nobody had ever looked at me with the intensity that he had that first night. Nobody had ever seemed to see inside of me, beyond the obvious. But really he just felt sorry for me. He didn't know me at all. Why wasn't I at David's party right now?

"Okay, I'm sorry. But good thing I felt that way or you wouldn't have had a fake boyfriend that night."

"True."

He ran a hand through his hair and threw me a big-eyed look as if to apologize again. It helped. "My name. It can't double as a word, no."

Right, back to the game. "Okay, so it's not a super-famous person, it couldn't be a last, and it can't be used in a sentence. This is hard."

"Well, there are only a million names, so yeah…" He had a nice smile. "And I think those are the only questions you can ask about a name, so do you give up?"

"No, those are not the only questions about a name. Is it a place?"

"I'm sure everyone can find a place with their name."

"So not a place that you know of, then?"

"No."

"Okay, so not Dallas or Houston, then—"

"You have a thing for Texas?"

"Those were just the first ones I thought of." I looked around the car and wondered if there were any clues in there. Mail or notes. There was nothing.

"Are you trying to cheat?"

"Maybe. So your sister's name is Ashley. Can you tell me about any special meaning behind that?" I asked, thinking maybe there was a theme.

"That's not a yes-or-no question. Are we done with the game?"

"Okay, Mr. Rule Follower, I withdraw the question."

He turned down the radio that had been the background noise of our conversation. "Nothing, really. And that won't help you because my dad named my sister and my mom named me. My dad is very religious. My mom's a hippie, free-loving painter and loves fairy tales."

"Really? How did that happen?"

"My mom entered some paintings into an art show put on by the church my dad attended. Twenty years later and they're still together."

"Cool."

"Yes, they are pretty cool."

I stared at the glowing numbers of the radio station. It wasn't a station I ever listened to, so I didn't recognize the quietly playing song at all. "You know what we've succeeded in doing with this game?"

"What's that?"

"Increasing the anticipation."

He laughed. "I know, right? Can I just be fill-in Daniel forever?"

"No." I turned toward him in my seat. "I really want to know your name."

He gripped the wheel and stared at the road. The sun had set and the sky had turned gray and was darkening more with each passing minute. "When my mom was pregnant with me, she read me a lot of fairytale books and stuff like that. There was a particular book she loved, about a man who helped poor people. And she named me just like that man."

"Aladdin?"

"Seriously? No. He steals for himself."

"Robin Hood? Your name is Robin." I realized I had said it with a bit of reverence and I cleared my throat to pretend that was why.

"Is it disappointing?"

"Of course not. But you said it was not a famous name and it is. I like it a lot."

"I'm kind of fond of it as well."

"Way better than fill-in Daniel.

"How is Daniel anyway?" He gave me a sideways glance.

"I don't know. I haven't talked to him since that night." I'd been telling too many lies lately, so I felt the need to add, "He texted me. I tried to call him back and he didn't answer. Then he called me back but I missed it. Then I left a message for him. I haven't decided if I'm going to call him again."

"What's the deciding factor?"

That was a good question. He should've been gone. I didn't need to call him for him to be gone. "I don't know. I shouldn't be deciding at all. He left me at prom. In the parking lot. I wasn't expecting it." I was talking aloud without filtering my thoughts at all, so I shut my mouth before I said other things I didn't mean to.

He raised his eyebrows, but I couldn't read his expression. A large bug hit the windshield with a thump. He turned on the wipers, spraying water to clear it away. "You wanted it to end on your terms?"

"Yes. I mean, no, I didn't want it to end… maybe. What about you? Ashley was right, wasn't she? You really do want your girlfriend back."

He let out a breath. "Possibly."

That was as close to "of course I do" as it got for guys, I thought, but I played along. "What's the deciding factor?"

He tapped the steering wheel with his thumbs, took a deep breath, and said, "Tonight, I guess."

"Robin."

He laughed as he turned off the engine. "Are you just saying it to say it again or do you actually have something to say this time?"

"Mostly I'm just saying it because I can, but I do have a question."

"What's that?"

"Are you studying acting?"

"Yes."

"Good. You're very talented at it."

He met my eyes. "Thank you."

"And what about poetry? Did you come to appreciate it?"

"Are you nervous about getting out of the car?"

"Unlike you, I am not an actor." I was afraid I'd ruin his ploy to get back with Marian due to my terrible acting skills.

"No need to be. We're here as friends, right? No acting involved."

"Right."

He reached for the car door handle.

"Wait! Let me fix your hair."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. You want her to want you, right?" I thought he'd leave but instead he turned toward me with a tired look on his face. I quickly grabbed the gel from my purse before he changed his mind. "The key is to only use a little." The gel was blue and claimed "Super Support," so I squeezed out a dime-sized drop onto my palm, rubbed my hands together, then pushed them through his hair.

"You actually have really great hair. It just looks like your mom cut it."

"You don't even know my mom."

"Well, any mom." The front of his hair was drooping a bit so I gave it one last pass then smiled. "There."

"Your work is done?" he asked.

I met his eyes and realized my styling process had closed the space between us. I backed up. "Yes, she'll be all over you by the end of the night."

"Who knew hair was that powerful?" He kept his gaze on me, the one that seemed to search my soul, then a smile spread across his lips. My heart gave a jump that surprised me and I quickly dropped my gaze.

I took my cell phone and lip gloss out of my purse and slipped them into my pocket while he opened his door and got out. By the time I'd tucked my purse with the rest of its contents under the seat, he was on my side of the car opening my door. He gave me a hand out. After he shut and locked the doors, he faced the house and I could see him visibly take a breath, the air flowing into his lungs causing his shoulders to rise and fall.

"Are you nervous?" I asked, a little surprised.

"Maybe. Thanks for coming with me."

"Of course."

"Okay, here we go."

"Robin?"

"Yes, Regina?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to say your name."

He smiled, which was what I was hoping for. He just needed to relax. I knew Ashley wanted me here to keep him away from Marian, but who was I to stop him if that's what he really wanted? He led me up the walk and around the side of the house to a gate that was propped open.

"Oh. Look at that. Your ex-girlfriend's house backs up to the ocean." I had known we were close to the beach—I could hear the waves and smell the ocean breeze—but I hadn't realized we were this close.

"Pretty cool, right?"

The secluded beach was full of people eating, talking, dancing. Robin scanned the area and I could tell when he saw her because he went still. I followed his gaze and went still myself. It wasn't that she was drop-dead gorgeous or anything, but just looking at her, I could tell she had more quirk and personality than I'd ever have. Her hair was brown, a little curly and shiny. Mine was black and boringly all the same length. She was tall while I was short. She wore a T-shirt that said something on the front I couldn't read but I was sure it was funny or odd, just like Robin's were. They belonged together and after tonight they probably would be back together. He wanted it, and from the way she was now looking at Robin, her eyes lighting up with joy, it was obvious she wanted it too. Ashley was going to kill me.

Marian waved and he nodded.

"I'm just going to take off my sandals. I didn't realize we'd be on the sand." Wedges were not right for this. I should've worn flip-flops. No wonder Ashley had given me that look.

"Sure."

"Can I just put them back in your car?"

"Of course." He handed me the keys but didn't offer to walk me.

"Okay, then… I guess I'll see you in a minute."

I walked back to his car, unbuckled my sandals, and threw them in the backseat. Normally I was so confident walking into a new place. Why did I feel so nervous now? Maybe I shouldn't have come. All I'd wanted was to see Robin again, find out his motivations for going to prom with me so I could stop obsessing about it. So that things could go back to normal. I'd done that. But I was here now. I could stay for a little while for Robin's sake. We were only twenty minutes from my house. Maybe once Robin and Marian got back together, I could call my brother or Mary Margaret for a ride and head over to the other party.

I followed the path back to the beach. Robin had moved about twenty feet farther into the party but was now talking to Marian and another guy. I had several options—a food table across the way, a makeshift dance floor, or a group surrounding a bonfire. Or, of course, I could go see how Robin was faring. I chose that option.

I took two steps in his direction and my foot landed on something sharp. With a quick breath between my teeth, I checked to make sure it wasn't glass. It was just a piece of a shell and it was only a surface scratch. I brushed off my foot and then joined Robin.

"So the second I took off my shoes, I stepped on a—"

"Regina!" Robin interrupted, grabbing my hand and pulling me to his side. I stumbled slightly but he held me firm. "I want you to meet Marian and John."

"Hi."

"And, guys, this is my girlfriend, Regina." He slid a hand down my back and gave me a lingering kiss on the cheekafter the announcement.

Whoa. What? In the two minutes I'd been gone, something had changed and I wasn't sure what. I turned on a smile and held out my hand. "Nice to meet you."

The guy grabbed my hand. "Good to meet you." When he let go he took Marian's. Oh. And there it was. Ashley was wrong. It was option number one Marian was interested in. She wanted Robin here to make sure he was still pining over her but she was still very much attached to whoever this guy was.

Marian's brilliant smile had faded just a bit as she took me in. From this close I could see her T-shirt. It said, I like turtles. I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be funny or if she really did have a thing for turtles.

"You brought someone," she said. "I didn't realize you were… dating anyone."

Robin in all his smoothness said, "I hope that's okay. The invitation said plus one."

The invitation said plus one? And here she looked like she was in shock that he had actually brought someone.

"Right. It did. I know how close you and your sister are so I thought… But yes, of course it's fine. Come get something to eat. I'm sure you want to catch up with some people you haven't talked to in a while. Everyone is here."

"Yes, I'd love for Regina to meet everyone. You ready, hon?"

I took his offered hand and squeezed it. "Yes." We started to walk away then I turned back. "Oh, and thanks for inviting us, Marian. This looks amazing. Happy graduation." She nodded me a thanks and then walked the other way.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Robin mumbled under his breath as we walked toward a long table full of food by the patio of the house.

"Don't be. I owe you."

We stopped in front of the table and I stared at the food spread before us. "Are you hungry?"

His gaze was on the ocean in the distance, his jaw tight. It seemed as though he hadn't heard my question at all.

I put my hand on his back. "You okay?" I didn't know why I asked him that; it was obvious he wasn't. He had come here tonight thinking his ex-girlfriend had invited him because she wanted to get back together with him and he had just found out she hadn't.

"Robin?"

"What? Yes, food. Let's eat. Are you hungry?"

"We can leave. We don't have to stay."

"We're staying." He said it like I had dared him not to and he was rising to the challenge.

"Okay. We're staying. You have other friends here, right?"

He nodded.

"Then let's have fun."

"Deal."

We each filled a plate with food and then found two empty seats at a round table. He greeted several people then scooted his chair extra close to mine. While he ate with one hand, his other was always resting on the back of my chair, or on my shoulder, or playing with the ends of my hair. I knew it was for show and I had to keep telling myself that as chills radiated down my spine every time he touched me.

"Where have you been? I haven't seen you at school lately," a guy from across the table asked.

I was grateful for the distraction because Robin moved both elbows to the table and leaned forward as he spoke. "I've been around. Busy with graduation stuff."

Busy being a recluse, according to Ashley.

"Well, it's good to see you. Where are you going to school next semester?"

"San Luis. You?"

"Me too." The guy looked at me then. "You put up with this guy, huh?"

I smiled.

"You don't go to school with us, do you?"

I started to say no, but Robin beat me to the answer. "She goes to Ashley's new school. We met through her."

In a way, I guess we kind of did. He was dropping Ashley off for prom. I dragged him in to be my date.

"Cool," the guy said, then he stood, gave a head nod, and walked away carrying his empty plate.

Robin pointed at the olives I had picked off my pizza. "What's going on there?"

"I'm not an olive fan."

"There were other options without olives."

"I like the flavor the olives leave on the pizza. I just don't like the texture of the olive itself."

He laughed then popped one of my discarded olives into his mouth. "Weirdo."

"Hey."

"I like weird. Normal is so boring."

"Right." The problem was that I was the very definition of normal. He'd probably just learned the most interesting thing there was to know about me. I was not Marian. Not that it mattered.

I looked around and realized we were the only two sitting at the table now, leaving plenty of room for when Marian and her boyfriend wandered over and joined us.

"I'm so glad you came," she said again when she sat down with her own food in the chair right next to Robin. So close she could put her hand on his knee when she talked. And she did. It was obvious Robin had been trying to make her jealous and it was obvious it was working. Maybe he'd get his wish by the end of the night after all.

"I didn't think you would," she continued. Her hand finally came off his leg. I wondered if my death glare had anything to do with it. She had no right to waltz around messing with Robin's head. He may have wanted her back, but Ashley was right. This girl was bad news. I was suddenly on board with Ashley's plan of keeping this girl far away from Robin. I leaned my shoulder against his.

"Why didn't you think I'd come?" Robin asked, meeting her stare. I was proud of the way he didn't react, just gave her a look that seemed innocent.

"I should've known you would," she said. "You're such a nice guy. Isn't he a nice guy, ah…?"

"Her name is Regina," Robin said.

"It's fine, babe," I said to him. Then I looked at her. "I never get mad when people hear my name wrong or they don't remember it because I think to myself, Maybe they have hearing issues, excess earwax, bad memory or something."

Robin coughed once and I could tell it was to keep himself from laughing. "You might want to get that checked out, Marian."

Marian's expression had gone ten degrees cooler. "I don't have wax in my ears. Sometimes you just mumble, Robin. Like last year in the school play when the whole audience thought you said, 'I want to kill you,' when you were supposed to say, 'I want to kiss you.'"

Robin, who had been pretty stoic since we came, cracked a smile. "Well, my line was better anyway."

"I know. Why wouldn't Sky want to kill Sarah, right?" She laughed.

John looked as lost in this conversation as I was. Great—inside jokes.

"Kill me, baby," Marian said in what sounded like a New York accent.

I was willing to kill her if that's what she was asking. Robin didn't seem like he was on board with that plan, though, his smile still lingering. John put his arm around Marian and Robin moved back an inch, his face going hard again. I grabbed his hand and he turned to me. He brushed a kiss to my cheek so I closed my eyes.

When I opened them he said, "I want to dance with you," using that husky voice he sometimes did.

I let him take me to the makeshift dance floor across the sand. I let him wrap my arms up around his neck and then rest his hands on my hips. For one moment I forgot we had an audience and it was for them that we were performing this show. He made me forget I had come here to try to get him out of my head.

He leaned down and I thought he was going to whisper something sweet in my ear when he said, "You're a better actor than you give yourself credit for."

Those words jolted my thoughts back into the right place. "I am, aren't I?"

–

"So, what's the story? Who's John?" I nodded back toward the table where he and Marian still sat, her head on his shoulder.

"He's my best friend… well, was my best friend since the fifth grade." A line formed between his eyes with this admission.

"Ouch. I'm sorry."

"It happens."

"That doesn't mean it doesn't suck when it does."

"We exchanged a few black eyes. We're good now."

"Really? You're still friends?"

"No, not at all, but I don't want to beat him senseless every time I see him now, so that's a step forward, I think."

His still-tense jaw made me wonder if that statement was true at all¸ but I didn't mention this. "I'd say that's a very good step."

"I'm so sorry," he said. "I told you that we'd come as friends and then I pull this. I guess I just thought…"

"That she'd beg for forgiveness tonight?"

"Yes. Is that wrong? I just wanted a little justice. Some karma or something. Instead, I'm playing a stupid game. I don't do this. I don't play head games with people."

I put my hand on his cheek, hoping that Marian was watching because his story had made me feel completely justified in playing head games. "Maybe just this once you can give yourself permission to give her a taste of her own medicine. And it's not like I'm unaware of what you're doing. You're not preying on some random, unsuspecting girl to make your ex jealous. I'm fully aware and wholeheartedly in support of making this girl feel at least one small twinge of regret tonight."

"And then tomorrow we'll both be better than this, right?"

I laughed. "Absolutely."

He wrapped his arms around my waist and picked me up, spinning me around once. "You're the best." He put me down and offered me his smoldering stare that he had unveiled at prom. "So, are you ready for this?"

I laughed, not really sure that I was, if he was going to pull out all the stops like that. "Yes."

He took me by the hand and led me in the opposite direction of Marian, toward the beach.

"We're going the wrong way," I said.

"No, this will drive her nuts, seeing us sneak away from the party."

"Oh, right."

"There's a place over here that's a little more private. Hopefully it's not taken." He maneuvered us around some large rocks and then glanced over his shoulder, probably to see if Marian had noticed.

He was right, this was very private. A semicircle of rocks blocked us from the view of the party but gave us the perfect view of the ocean. He'd probably spent a lot of time here with Marian. He plopped down in the smooth sand and pulled on my hand for me to join him. I did. We sat shoulder to shoulder facing the ocean.

"So, you didn't tell me your sister dressed like…"

"A drug dealer?"

"That's not what I was going to say. But that's why I didn't recognize her at prom. She looked so different from the way she does at school."

"Yeah, I know. It's just a phase she's going through. She'll be on a new kick in a couple of months."

"What? Why?"

"I'm not sure. I think it might be her way of not letting anyone get too close. She likes to keep the world at an arm's length."

"Has she been burned before too?"

He tilted his head in thought. "No, actually. Maybe she learns well from those around her."

"But you two seem close."

"We are. We have a close family, but maybe that's been a disservice to her because she thinks no one could possibly love the real her as much as we do." He picked up a handful of sand and let it slowly trickle between his fingers. "What about you? Are you close with your family?"

"Yes," I said right away, but then I paused, Graham's words about how my parents hadn't really been there for me after I broke up with Daniel coming into my mind. I shook my head to get rid of the thought and then nodded. "Yes."

Robin raised his eyebrows. "You sure about that?"

"I'm close with my parents, but my brother—I don't know—he's always trying to stir up trouble. He went away to college, though, so it's generally pretty quiet at home." I thought about how Graham had come home this weekend and offered to help me find out if Graham was cheating. "But I think he has good intentions. He wants to be a good brother. He just doesn't do it in the best ways sometimes."

"That's good. If he's trying, then he cares."

"You think so?" Maybe I wasn't ready to give up on a relationship with my brother after all. Hearing that he might care more than I thought made me happy.

"Yes, I do." He leaned back on his hands and stared out at the ocean and I watched as several waves crashed on the shore. "I feel like I'm being selfish tonight. I really should get you home."

"It's only, like, eight o'clock."

He lifted one side of his mouth in a half smile. "And shouldn't the little high school student be going to bed soon?"

I laughed. "First of all, there is no school tomorrow. Second, you're in high school too and we graduate in four weeks. Speaking of, why is your girlfriend throwing such an early graduation party?"

"I'm sure everyone is planning their parties for the end of the month and she wanted to be the first and the best. Plus she's probably going somewhere foreign and exotic the second she graduates."

"Right."

"And she's not my girlfriend." He leaned forward and took off his shoes. "They're full of sand," he explained as he dumped them and set them off to the side.

A print of his hand from where he had been leaning was stamped on the sand between us. I traced a line around it then placed my hand inside of it.

"You have long fingers," he noted, seeing that my fingertips almost reached the top of the print.

"I do. But the bottom part of your palm is missing from this imprint."

"I don't think so." He held up his hand and nodded for mine.

I pressed my hand against his, aligning our palms. The top of my fingers barely reached his first joint.

"I guess you're right," he said. Our hands stayed pressed together for several breaths. "You have sand on your hand." He took me by the wrist and began gently wiping it off.

My phone rang, making me jump. I left it in my pocket.

He let go of my hand. "Don't you want to check that?"

"Not really."

"What if it's your parents?"

I pulled out my phone to see Daniel's name flashing on the screen. Robin and I stared at it until it stopped ringing.

"Still determining?" he asked after a moment of silence.

I shrugged.

He moved his fingers, gesturing for me to hand him my phone.

"You're not calling him, right?" I gave him my phone.

"Of course not." He opened my text messaging, entered a number and sent off a text. Then he handed me back the phone. I read the message.

I decided that Daniel is no good for me. I don't ever need to talk to him again. He did dump me at prom, after all, and left me alone in the parking lot to find my own way home. Plus he's way too old for me.

"Who did you send this to?"

Right as I asked, his phone chimed. He pulled it out, looked at the screen, then typed in something, and tucked it back into his pocket. He nodded his head toward my phone just as it chimed.

You are so smart. I completely agree. I'm glad you made the right determination. ~R (aka FID)

I laughed. "You think so, huh?"

"Having been Daniel for a night, I can honestly say that he is no good for you. I mean, you caught him cheating with that other girl, remember?"

I pushed his shoulder. "I think that might have been his sister."

"Yuck. Even worse."

I smiled. "Well, if you're going to determine things for me, then I get to determine things for you."

"Okay, that's fair. What's the verdict?"

"You know what I'm going to say."

He didn't deny it.

"You deserve so much better. She really cheated on you with your best friend. You need to let them both go… forever."

As if she sensed we were talking about her, I heard her voice calling out. "Robin? Are you back here?" And without a second thought, I launched myself at him. I had just meant to jump into his lap, but my momentum sent him onto his back, me landing on top of him.

"Um… hi," he said, looking up at me.

"Hi." His eyes were amazing up close—crystal blue.

Marian's voice was louder now, just around the rock, less than three seconds from discovering us.

He reached up and took my face in his hands. He pulled me toward him, the desire in his eyes spelling out his intentions.

…

 _ **Thanks for reading!**_


	9. Chapter 8

_**Hi! I was going to upload this chapter tomorrow, but I do it now just for my friend Andrea, because today is her birthday. I think she's going to hate me hahaha. So… enjoy it!**_

 **Chapter 8** _ ****_

"Don't do it unless you mean it" I whispered, inches from his lips. I had meant it as a joke but it came out breathy and serious.

He immediately paused, his eyes changing from desire to worry. He turned my head and kissed my cheek instead. I was both disappointed and relieved all at once. I reminded myself what we were really doing. If this didn't make Marian jealous, nothing would.

"Oh" I heard Marian gasp. "Sorry."

We sat up as if caught.

Robin ran a hand through his hair, brushing off the sand and completely messing up my styling job. "Hi, Marian. Did you need something?"

"No. I mean, yes, um, Will is looking for you."

Robin's eyes lit up. "Will is here?"

"He just got here. I told him you were coming."

Robin jumped to his feet then reached down to help me. He pulled me up so hard that I almost ended up on the ground again. Then he took off, looking back once to make sure I was following. I was trying to, but he was moving fast.

"They have a total bromance," Marian said, and I realized she was keeping pace with me. "Well, I'm sure you already know that."

"I haven't met him."

"No? They're practically the same person. Although Will is a little over-the-top to Robin's go-with-the-flow routine."

I watched Robin throw his arms around a guy and they patted each other's backs several times before separating. I could hear their laughter from where I had slowed to a crawl about thirty feet away.

"He'd want you to meet him," Marian said, giving me a little push.

"Oh. Right." I really didn't want Robin to have to extend this lie to people he actually cared about, but with Marian standing right there I felt like I had to. I walked forward until I stood next to Robin. For the first time I had a clearview of Will's face—dark eyes, almost black in this lighting—and I nearly took a step back. I knew him. Well, not really. He went on a date with Emma once two years ago and I had doubled. The only reason I remembered him was because he'd been a total jerk, mean to her the whole date then trying to make out with her when it was over.

Robin was in the middle of telling Will a story about some scene he had to do for drama. "… so I asked the teacher, 'Can this be a monologue?'"

Will laughed. "What did the girl say?"

"She thought I was kidding."

"And let me guess, you went along with that?"

"What else was I supposed to do?"

"I don't know… maybe stop worrying about someone else's feelings for once and worry about your grade."

Robin shrugged. "Whatever. It turned out fine."

Will's eyes drifted to me and I waited for him to recognize me as well but he didn't. He just seemed to be wondering why this strange girl was interrupting their conversation. It had been two years and he hadn't even been my date. It was understandable that he wouldn't recognize me.

Robin's happy eyes met mine and they seemed to snap back to reality. "Oh, Regina. Hi."

"Do you know this gorgeous girl?" Will asked.

"I do. She came with me."

"You lucky dog. How does an average-looking guy like yourself attract a girl way out of your league?"

"I think it must be my killer charm."

Will turned to me. "Would you agree with that assessment?"

"He is rather charming."

"Hmm. I thought I had that in droves."

Marian, who had joined us as well, gave a small laugh. "There's a difference between charming and obnoxious, Will."

"I'm sure you know that difference well," Will said.

Marian raised one eyebrow. I waited for her comeback to him but both she and Will laughed. He rushed forward and threw her over his shoulder. "I'll be back. I'm just going to drop this girl in the ocean as part of her graduation present." He headed off like he was going to do that very thing.

"You better not," she said, pounding his back. "Save me, Robin."

Robin just shrugged with a big smile on his face.

"John!" Marian screamed.

Both Robin and I watched as Will trudged toward the ocean. Before he made it, John joined them and they had a fake wrestling match in the sand. Robin let out a sigh. He seemed so happy for the first time tonight. I didn't need to tell him that Will had been a jerk to my friend two years ago. Will obviously didn't remember and he had probably changed a lot since then. He seemed different, nicer.

"Your friends are fun," I said.

"Yes, we had a lot of fun together."

"You miss it."

"I miss how it was before. Everything is different now and it's pointless trying to make it the same."

I hoped he meant that he had given up trying to win Marian back. Neither she nor John deserved him in their lives.

–

Robin was sitting at a table catching up with Will when I came back from the bathroom. I approached him from behind and draped my arms over his shoulders, pressing my cheek against his. Take that, Marian, I thought as she walked past us with John. The night had cooled considerably and Robin's cheek was warm. I felt him smile then he laced his fingers with mine.

"You two are sickeningly cute, aren't you?" Will said.

Robin tensed and shifted in his chair. His fingers slipped from mine and he folded his arms over his chest. Oh no. He felt guilty. He wanted to tell his friend this was a lie. I could sense it because I knew the feeling. It had been one thing for me to lie to Zelena—I felt like she'd deserved it—it was a completely different story to lie to Mary Margaret and Emma.

"Please don't," I whispered in his ear. He couldn't tell him tonight when he had no idea how Will would react to this news. For all we knew, he'd run off and tell Marian and then this night would've been pointless. "You can break up with me tomorrow and let him know."

Robin offered a stiff nod. I pressed a kiss to the skin right beneath his ear. He smelled so good I wanted to linger there, take advantage of the last few moments of physical contact we'd have. I felt him shiver so I pulled away.

"You ready to go?" he asked.

"Stay and talk for another minute. I'll go grab your shoes."

He looked down at his still-bare feet. "Oh, right. I left them by the rocks. Thanks."

It was getting late. It was darker this time and the path to the rocks a little less clear. I made it around the bend to see two people making out.

"Oh! I'm sorry."

Marian and John straightened up and faced me, Marian flattening her hair.

"Sorry," I said again. "I just needed to get Robin's shoes. There they are."

I scooped them up.

"Are you leaving?" Marian asked.

"Yes."

"Thanks for coming," John said as I tried to scurry away. "It's good to see Robin happy again."

 _It's all an act, you jerk_ , I wanted to say. _You are the worst friend ever and don't use his happiness to ease your guilt._ Of course I didn't.

"Yeah, sure. See you around."

Robin was up and heading my way when I emerged from the rocks. "Thanks," he said, pointing to the shoes, when I met up with him. I was so glad I was the one who had found Marian and John behind that rock just then and not him. He didn't need to see it rubbed in his face any more than he already had tonight.

He wrapped me up in a hug and buried his face into my hair. "Thanks for tonight."

I closed my eyes. "Of course. It was fun." And I was surprised to realize that I really meant that. Robin was easy to be around.

He tightened one arm around my waist and his other hand moved up and down my back. Maybe he wanted to take advantage of the last few moments of physical contact we'd have, as well. "I had fun too. Let's get you home." He let me go and took my hand.

I glanced over my shoulder and sure enough, Marian was standing next to the rocks, staring at us. I should've known his reason for physical contact.

–

We pulled up to his house and he turned off the engine and hopped out of the car before I could stop him. When he got to my door and opened it, I said, "Sorry, I should've mentioned that I need a ride home."

"Oh." He looked up and down the street like he'd see a car waiting for me there. "Did my sister get you?"

"Yes."

"She's so sneaky."

"Yes, she is." I stayed sitting in his car, waiting for him to shut the door and go back around to his side.

He didn't. He nodded toward his house. "Do you need to get home right away? My sister is going to want a report. I bet you'll give a more satisfying one."

The clock on the dash of his car said _10 p.m._ I had two hours until curfew. "Okay, sure."

We walked the path to the front door and Robin unlocked it and stepped inside. Ashley was sitting on a couch in the living room and she immediately turned off the television and looked between us. "So?"

Robin put his arm around me. "You'll be happy to know that there were many head games played tonight and much jealousy floating about. I'm not sure exactly who was playing all the games or who was the most jealous, but Regina did all the things that you made her swear to do."

Ashley turned to me. "Okay, now I want to know what really happened. None of this vague crap."

At that moment an older woman came sweeping into the room. Her hair was pulled back into a loose bun, held by a pencil. Tons of flyaway strands had escaped the arrangement, leading to a windblown look. "Robin, I thought I heard you. I need your face."

"Mom, I have a friend over." Robin pointed at me.

She smiled my way. "I don't see how this affects anything. You can bring her."

Ashley stood and followed after her mom, who was already walking down the hall without waiting for a response.

"It's pointless to argue," Robin said. "She always wins." He led me down the hall and around a corner. Inside a large room with double doors and hardwood floors were tons of paintings. Some finished and hanging, some halfway done, others blank canvases. One rested on an easel, a large sheet covered in paint splatters on the floor beneath it, as if someone had abandoned it right in the middle of painting. We all entered the room.

"This is Regina, by the way, Mom."

"Oh, I'm sorry, where are my manners?" She extended her hand to me. "I'm Olivia. I'm sorry for stealing this boy away but I need his gorgeous face. I mean, tell me that face doesn't inspire creativity."

Both Robin and Ashley rolled their eyes.

"She says that every time she pulls us in here and then she creates things like that." He pointed to a painting of a half-insect, half-zebra face splitting open to reveal a blooming flower. "My face did not inspire that."

"It really did," his mom said.

"She just gets lonely in here," Ashley said.

"My children mock me, but they are my muses." She studied me then. "I think you could be my muse as well. Your bone structure is amazing."

"Don't let her fool you," Ashley said. "What she means is that she wants to paint bones. Probably dinosaur bones or something while she stares at you."

Olivia did not seem offended by the banter. She just laughed and began to paint while Robin sat on the stool in front of her. By the way she studied him, it seemed she was using him as a model, but I could see her canvas and it was most definitely not Robin.

Ashley looked at me. "So spill. Tell us everything that happened tonight."

I glanced at their mom, not really sure I wanted to admit to the act of lying in front of her.

"My mom already knows," Ashley said. "And while she doesn't condone it, she can see why our immature brainsmight feel it necessary."

"You are misquoting me, Ashley. I said that revenge is the product of misdirected emotions but that I had a few emotions regarding Marian as well."

"You did not say 'misdirected,'" Ashley said loudly. "I specifically remember you saying 'immature.'"

"Maybe I said 'underdeveloped.'"

"Same thing," both Ashley and Robin said together.

Olivia applied a broad stroke of navy-blue paint to her canvas right beneath the crooked purple eyes already painted there. "My point was that revenge is never the answer."

"Yeah, yeah." Ashley waved her hand at her mom then turned to me. "So anyway, tell us about the revenge."

I looked at her mom and wondered if she was upset that they were fighting. She didn't seem bothered at all. "Okay, so Marian was there with John."

"I knew it!" Ashley yelled. "They're still together, aren't they?"

I nodded. "But you were right, she wanted Robin too."

"She did not," Robin said.

"Then why did she hug you and sit so close and put her hand on your leg?"

"She put her hand on your leg?" Ashley's expression went hard.

"She did?" Robin asked.

"Oh, please," Ashley said. "You know she did. Don't try to play all innocent, Robin. And you probably liked it."

Robin just met her stare with an even expression that I couldn't read.

"So please tell me you got back at her," Ashley said, looking at me.

"There was hand-holding and hugging. We danced."

"And Regina jumped on top of me," Robin said.

I gasped. His mom turned toward me.

"I did not… sort of. It was an accident. I didn't mean to knock you down."

"Tell me she saw," Ashley said, smiling.

"She did."

Ashley spun in a circle once, her arms outstretched, then she grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me. "You are awesome. Revenge is awesome."

Olivia cleared her throat.

"Because I have a very, very immature brain," Ashley added.

"Tomorrow we are all going to be better people," Olivia said, which was almost the same thing Robin had said earlier. I caught his eye and he nodded once.

 _Better people_. The way they had both said it made me want to try.

Robin slid off the stool.

"Where are you going? I'm not finished being inspired," Olivia said.

Robin directed Ashley onto the stool in his place. "I need to take Regina home. She's had enough of our crazy family for one night, I am sure."

"Bye, Regina" Ashley said. "Thanks for doing everything I asked you to."

It's like she said it to remind Robin… or me… that tonight was an act, not real. Robin didn't need to be reminded. He had put on a perfect show.

Olivia gave me a hug without using her hands, which were dotted with paint, pressing her wrists to my shoulders. "Good to meet you. I was serious about that bone structure. Come back and see me."

I smiled.

"Dinosaur bones," Ashley said as Robin and I left.

Robin glanced at me a few times as we walked down the hall. "My family is weird but I love them."

"Your family is awesome. You're mom isn't…" I trailed off, not wanting to bring up a bad subject.

"Isn't what? Normal? Sane?"

I shook my head. "No, of course not. It's just she and Ashley were kind of fighting. She's not mad, is she?"

"Mad?"

"About the whole revenge thing."

"No, she's not mad." He opened the front door for me and the cold air bit at my cheeks, making me realize they were hot. "And if you think that was fighting, then you haven't seen Ashley fight."

"I just can't believe you told your mom about your revenge plans."

"It's my sister. She's the center of all our craziness."

"I can see that."

"I'm sure you can, considering what she forced you to do tonight."

"She didn't force me," I said. I wouldn't mind hanging out again, but I couldn't admit that. It felt weird, like I wanted something more from him, and I didn't. We were both putting on an act. It would be completely ridiculous to read into an act.

"Well, I know she asked you to, so thank you. You did really well. Have you ever thought about studying acting?"

I laughed as I climbed into his car. "No, I haven't."

"It's fun, though, right? It's like a natural high to perform a scene like we basically did tonight." His eyes were shining and I could see that he'd enjoyed the night for a different reason than I did.

"It was fun."

"My mom's right, though," he said. "It was super immature of me to want payback, but in a small way, I feel a little better now."

"Do you at least have closure? I know that's what you wanted."

"Yes, I do. No looking back."

"No looking back," I repeated.

I directed him to my house and when he stopped at the curb I jumped out before he turned off the engine. I didn't want to make him pretend to be my date anymore. So I was surprised when I was halfway up the sidewalk and he was suddenly beside me.

"You're fast," he said.

"Oh. You don't have to walk me up."

"I can't help it. My dad raised me right."

"Where was your dad tonight?"

"He goes to bed early and wakes up with the sun."

"So your mom named you but are you more like your dad or your mom?"

"Do you mean am I a wild free spirit or a conservative early riser?"

"Yes."

"What do you think?" he asked.

"I don't know. You went to prom with me at the drop of a hat, no questions asked."

"I asked questions."

"Not ones that mattered."

"You were too pretty for those questions."

I smiled and tried not to be too flattered but a few butterflies took flight in my stomach. "Don't you mean too lonely?"

He gave me a smirk. "Well, that too."

We made it to the doorstep and I turned toward him. "So prom night makes me think you're like your mom. But…"

"But?"

"But then you walk me up to my door out of the obligation instilled in you to be a gentleman and that makes me think you're more like your dad."

"My mom might take offense to that."

"Why?"

"Because had she taken you home, she would've probably walked you to your door too."

"So then I'd be standing on my front porch with your mom."

He chuckled. "Yeah, not a great image."

"So you're saying you're like your mom?"

"No. You got it right. I'm a little bit of my mom, a little of my dad, and a lot of me."

"Well, that's a very good mixture." I pulled out my keys to unlock the door. "I had fun tonight."

"What would you have done tonight if you hadn't gone with me?" he asked.

David's party. I hadn't even thought about it since the beginning of the night. At first I'd even thought that the second Robin dropped me off I would head straight there for the end of it, but I didn't feel like doing that at all right now. "My friend from school is having a party tonight. He's thrown some killer…"

I trailed off because I couldn't remember the last time a party had really been all that killer. Robin tilted his head like he was waiting for me to finish. He was giving me that look again, the one where he was searching for something beyond what I was offering. Hadn't he learned by now that what he saw was what he got?

"Go on," he said.

"Never mind. It was stupid."

The front door opened then—how could I forget that my parents always waited up for me?—and my dad appeared.

"Gina?" he said.

"Yes, sorry. I'm coming in."

My dad took one step out. "Hello, I'm Mr. Mills."

"Good to meet you, sir. I'm Robin."

My dad looked at me to explain who this was and I didn't know how. "He just brought me home. Thanks, Robin."

I walked inside and heard my dad offer a better good-bye than I had then close the door.

My mom sat on the couch reading. "How did studying go?"

"I don't think she was studying," my dad said.

"What?" My mom looked concerned.

"The girl you met earlier? It was her brother. The one I told you about. He gave me a ride home."

"Well, why didn't you say so?" my dad asked.

"I just did." I looked between the two of them, waiting for them to ask more, to accuse me of not being where I said I was. My mom just folded the blanket she'd been using and placed it on the couch. I tried to imagine what would happen if I told them about revenge and fake dating. The images in my brain consisted of a lot of sputtering speeches and confused looks. "I'm going to bed."

"Say good night to your brother too. He's leaving first thing in the morning."

"Okay." I knocked lightly on my brother's door but there was no answer. I cracked it open and saw that he was already in bed.

He rolled over and sat up a little. "Hi, Regina. You're home."

"Yes. Just saying good night. Have a safe drive tomorrow."

He dropped back onto his pillow. "What was up with Goth Girl earlier? Why are you hanging out with her?"

"She's just a friend. Sort of."

He gave a sharp laugh that caused tension to spring into my chest and I shut his door before he said something rude. Robin was wrong. My brother didn't want a relationship with me. After spending some time with Robin and Ashley, I could see that what my brother and I had wasn't great.

When I got to my room I started a group text with Mary Margaret and Emma to let them know I wouldn't be joining them. We ended up texting about my date. They gave me the expected responses—lots of exclamation marks and all-caps—which tonight didn't feel as satisfying as they normally did.

…

 _ **;)**_


End file.
